A new begining The frozen rose singer
by Lily Boom
Summary: Nana and Ren broke up and she left Black Stones, Hatchi married Takumi and had Shinichi, their son. Black Stones have no singer yet Shin does it on two new themes. A new character will appear. What would happend? Fun and romance on this new twist.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Frozen rose.**

**Nana O. Part.**

This is the end. I knew it would happend when Ren left for London after our scandal being brought to Chanel Nana (meaning Chanel 7). How ironical. Nana, my name and Hactchi's, basically the two who have appear on it with scandals...

I still wonder why she married Takumi. I could have helped her bringing up her child without him, and Nobu could have been uncle Nobu for him. Her new guy, Shinichi in honour of Shin. What a fool reason...

Since I dropped the band and became a model I have seen the rest less. Anyway, we still met sometimes, they always had and have an open door for me. After all the pain and promblems I have given them they still have time for me. I'd love to be able to cry for that, but instead I light another cig. My representant has told me thousand times to drop tobacco, but I can't. It's what relaxes me the most.

I'm on the agency car now, the radio is on but I can hardly hear it, silly music from silly groups. Including Ren's, _Trapnest_. I think Reira is doing well, they keep having fame and the media have dropped us after they found out we had broke up and neither him nor me wanted to speak.

Suddely there's a music that rings me a bell. _Black Stones_ have keept on playing even without me. Shin has learned how to sing, but it's not the same, so they are still using the ones we recorded when I was with them. Perhaps what I regret the most now, appart of not having showed Hatchi I loved her, is having dropped the _Black Stones_.

I wish they could forgive me for that too.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

This is the end.

"Ladies and gentlemen we have arriven to Tokio's airport." The voice of the pilot said on the loudspeakers waking me up.

I hate travelling by plane using my father's influence, but that way he garanteed me a good seat, next to the window and on first class.

I stand up and walk out of the plane. I still wear that silly dress I had to wear when I left. I'm thinking on taking it off and change clothes there, but I'm not crazy enough for that. I'll wait, get my bag and guitar and ask for a taxi. I think I will have to spend the night at one of my father's hotels till I can have a flat tomorrow. That silly of my uncle went mad when he knew I was going Tokio to live on myown, far from the family tradition of owning hotels around the whole world.

Geez, that makes me sick.

The taxi takes me to the center, I pay and go out of it to check in the hotel. When they see my name they inmediatly begin treatening me as if I were a true star. I hate people treatening me like that just cause I'm daughter of a tycoon.

I wonder if cousin Shin felt the same when he left his family. I would have done the same in his place. His dad never loved him and his brother, my cousin was the same. I hate both, anyway, I liked cousin Shin yet we hardly saw eachother a cuple of times a year and if we could, but after he left I knew nothing else from him.

After dropping my things I leave the hotel, I have changed into my Levi's and my punk t-shirt. I also wear a jean jacket cause I don't want to be forbidden the entrance in the hotel.

I know they would never forbide me to get to my room, I'm the daughter of the owner of the whole chain, and my face is easily recognised over all the hotels from the chain cause they have seen me since early age going with dad to all of them.

Furthermore, men like that face of mine. I was the golden girl of our social circle and I had great success among the musical one.

In the high spheres, guys called me rose. But every rose has it's thorns. I had a bad temper when I'm angry and it's not the first time a guy gets beaten by me. That's why more accurate people call me Frozen Rose.

Anyway, I want to stop living from my father the sooner the best so I decide to go out and begin looking for a house.

**Shin's Part.**

This is the end. After so much time, that awful man who calls himself father has phoned me. In fact, it was not him but the guy that calls himself my brother. He phoned me from my father's phone and I picked it up cause I was nearly slept so I mistaked him for Yasu.

When I answered and heard his voice I fully woke up, I hate them deeply. Any way, he said he didn't called me for speaking. Just to tell me, in the name of one of my father's brothers that a cousin that I hardly have seen twice a year when I was little was comming Tokio so I should have an eye on her. Then he said some more rubish and hung down before giving me chance of saying anything else.

"Who was it?" nobu asked me.

As I had spent the night with him, he had the right to know so I told him.

He was up so early cause he had to go and work, on the afternoon he had to work at that music store he used to, anyway, I got another call. Nanako-san, a married woman who called me when she was at Tokio and her husband was gone. I would call that number later, if I had time. Just cause I remember my cousin was nice and I had nothing agaist her, perhaps the only one I had nothing agaist in my family.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Meeting family. New friend.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

I hate it. Tokio's weather is just mad! I was in open street when it began raining cats and dogs so I ran to the nearest shop I saw. After having walked around nearly all the flat rental agencies on the zone and having eaten a sandwich I was nearly attacked by a prey dog (who has a prey dog not tied with a chain?) and now this.

Lukily the store was a music one, so I began looking the discs they had just to appear to be doing something. They had nice discs. Japanese groups and also international ones. I loved the Sex Pistols and suddely I found the only one left hidden behind a lot of "International bands" ones. I picked it up. It was one I didn't had and that was hard to find on a good shop.

I holded it tight and kept on looking among the discs.

"Sorry miss." The blond assistant said suddely. "We are about closing, would you mind to begin ending please?"

He seemed to be a bit restrained for my presence. Perhaps cause as I was european I was nearly as tall as him wearing just my converse when he was wearing platformed shoes.

I went to the counter to pay for the cd and he then looked to my face when I paid for it.

"You like the Sex Pistos?" he asked.

"Yep!" I said happy. "They are my favourites!"

"It's not usual to met a girl who likes them." He said smiling mildly while putting the cd on a shop bag with the receipt.

"Well, I must admit I have seen not many people around here who like it either." She said smiling. "But Sid was really... wonderful singer." She added putting her hand over her heart.

"Sure." The guy said. Nobu was what the identity pin on his chest said.

I payed and when I was about turning, he waved to someone outside. I turned back and saw a bluish white haired guy waving at him. I didn't knew why but his face rang me a bell. I said bye to Nobu and left. Outside it was still raining but not so heavyly. So I went out and began walking down the rain. Definetively that was not my day.

**Shin's Part.**

I was waiting for Nobu at the entrance of the work he worked at two or three days a week. He was in attending the last customer of the day and waved at me when he saw me. Then the girl turned and saw me. When she went out I saw her looking outside and checking it was raining.

Her face, her style... she rang me a bell. Perhaps she was one of the ladyes paying for me to stay with them. She then began walking under the rain.

"Hey!" Nobu then said running out carrying a little leather booked notebook. "Miss, you have forgot this!"

She then turned around and saw him holding it so she walked back towards us.

"Thanks." She said to Nobu. "I don't kow what would I have done if I forgot this." She said taking it from him with an smile.

"You have no umbrella?" I then asked putting the cig ashes down with a soft touch. "Miss, you will go shoaken."

"We are going towards the train station, perhaps if you go on the same way you would not mind sharing umbrella." Nobu then asked offering her his umbrella with an embarrashed face.

She looked at him for a second.

"I don't care, I have to take a train too." She finally said. "But you seem as if your girlfriend would kill you if she finds out."

I then lauged. Nobu had no girlfriend at the moment, so he could share his umbrella with such a cutte lady as her.

After Hachi, he had not had another girlfriend that could tell him off if she found him sharing an umbrella with a cutte girl.

"There's no girl to get mad at it." He said. "But... I can't allow a _Sex Pistol_'s fan go shoaken like that!" he added shaking his head madly as if he was trying to refuse it too much making me laugh.

He sometimes acted as Hatchi. And I missed her too much too. Even when she still met us from time to time, but she never stayed for long and our meetings with her were begining to shine by its lack.

Suddely I noticed something while Nobu and her walked under the same umbrella. Her skin was a bit suntanned despite of the time of the year it was. And her hair was bright red on some locks and brown on others as if she had died it on any of the two.

"By the way, does your miss have a name?" I asked Nobu softly and smiling.

He went pink and surprised. I bet he didn't ask her.

That Nobu was surely too shy for try to flirt with such a girl, perhaps he was astonished by her beautiful face or he had still not realised on the lack of name she had.

"Miss." I said then catchin her eye. "I was wondering... do such a lady have a name?"

"Yes, but please, don't call me lady." She said smiling. "I don't like it, it makes me look elder when I'm still 21 years old."

"Wo!!" Nobu said surprised. "You don't look my age!!"

"That's perhaps cause you don't look that age." I told him. "So, what's the name? My name is Shin."

"Isabelle." She said smiling. "I have a relative about your age who is also named Shin. Ah, by the way." She said as we were arriving the station. "Could you please tell me wich train should I get to arrive to the Lotus hotel? I'm afraid I walked till the shop so I lost track of where I am."

Suddely my cig fell down as I remembered the phone call of the morning.

"Your cousin Isabelle will be living at Tokio. If you still have any proud left, you will phone her and offer her some help. She would probably be living at her father's hotel at Tokio. Her phone number is..." was what the man who called himself my brother told me.

"By any chance... do you have anything to do with Okazaki family?" I asked her trying to sound casual.

Nobu was now looking at me. He knew my surname was Okazaki, he was one of the very little people who knew it.

"Well... somehow I'm relative of the family." She said smiling.

"And how is you are here?" I asked her.

"Well... it's too long to say..." she said softly sighing. "Anyway, how is you knew about it?"

"Shin, what's going on here?" Nobu asked looking from her to me.

"We are cousins somehow." I then said softly making both surprised. "Yet I have not seen her for... uff, lot of years. We just met on christmast and little trips his father did to who called himself my father."

"You must be jocking." Nobu said. "You don't look any simmilar!"

"Are you really Shin? My cousin Shin?" she said. "The one who used to wear..."

I then put my hand over her mouth to prevent her speaking about my past.

"Isa, first thing, you don't speak about my past." I said. "Second one... do you live on a hotel room?"

"Yes, but I'm looking for a flat to hire." She said noding about the not speaking about past part.

"Well... until you find one... you could be at my flat, the landlord never puts his nose at my bussiness." I offered her. I didn't know why I did such an offer but... "Just till you find yourown space."

We were now waiting for the train to arrive so we were sitting at a little bench speaking there.

"Well... it's not that I don't want to stay at my suit, but... I don't want to rely on my father's money. I want to live by myself. Did... did you heard about the quarrell?"

"Sure, I heard something from one of my friends." I said letting out a puff of smoke. "Ran away, wasn't it?"

"Yes, my father went so mad at me when I refused to work for him that he nearly disinherited me. So I said I came here for attending some bussines here."

"If you not staying too long..." Nobu said. "I supose you could always share flat with me. Afterall is where Shin is when he is not sleeping with someone else."

"Thanks." She said smiling mildy.

Then I saw it. My cousin was not the average girl, as she is half japanese she can stand from average for beauty. Natural beauty I mean.

"I don't think that's too bad idea." I said softly smiling. "Nobu could be a nice partner for you. And Nobu, if you touch her you are death."

She then held her laugh as Nobu began shouting at me something about the image she could get from him, anyway, he stopped when he heard her holding her laugh.

"I can swear I can't do anything bad on a woman." He said ashamed.

"I doubt you could do anything bad on me." She said smiling. "It would not be the first time men try to do bad things on me without allowance, and I can swear you some of them will not have children while others just have to do a little trip to the hospital and others have food with a straw."

That made both Nobu and me confused, and then we laugh cause we didn't thought she would be able to such thing; afterall she was trying to look punk wearing Levi's and a well known trademark sweater. As a weird mix of their "Princess" and "Hachi".

"Laugh if you want." She said softly. "Anyway, I have still not unpack my things."

"Well, then take them and get to his flat." I said smiling.

"Shin, we have to train a bit at the record house!" Nobu said.

"That's true..." I answered.

We couldn't ask her to come, but we couldn't give her the house key.

"Don't worry." She said softly. "Shin, you know where the family hotel is, when you end just come and look for me. I'll pay for the taxi, right?" she said smiling lovely.

"Cool!!" I said as I used with Hachi.

My cousin was really cool, I couldn't remember she was so nice and cool when were were little. But I can still remember the warm feeling I used to feel when I was with her when our families met.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Music and bands.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

The first night I spent on Tokio I spent it on my cousin Shin's friend house. Nobu was the guy on the record house.

His flat was not the bigest of the world, but it was nice and warm.

He and cousin Shin came to look for me to my hotel where I took my two bags and guitar and sneaked out of it. I say sneak cause I literally nearly ran away from it in order them not telling my father I was spending the first night out with my cousin who no longer looked as he used to.

When we reached his house, Shin got in too and we began playing Mah-gohn. Shin was really good at it, and I soon learned how to play being a real challenge for him.

He stayed to sleep there too or so did I discover when the following morning I woke up with him by my side fully dressed.

Nobu was up too due to a phone call he got and that was what woke me up.

In the morning, I looked at the agencies once again in search of a cheap flat to stay at but no flat was free.

Nobu had told me to stay there as long as I wanted but I have never liked the charity, less if they came from men.

Anyway, when I was about ordering meal at a fast food place, my phone began ringing madly so I picked it up.

Unknown number.

"Isabelle on the phone." I said wondering who would phone me with unknown number.

"Isa!" Shin's voice. "I was wondering... are you having meal?"

"About to." I answered. "Why?"

"Well... we were having meal toghether with the band so we were wondering if you would like to have meal with us."

"Tell her to come, please!" I heard Nobu saying from behind him.

"And Nobu would love you to come." He added.

"I have heard." I said smiling to the phone as I made a "wait" sign to the waiter. "Well, I was about ordering my meal so..."

"Good you have not ordered yet." He said. "You could come and then I introduce you to some friends. Please...?"

"ok." I said about laugh as he had used a baby begging tone. "Just tell me where are you and I'll try to get there, right?"

"We are near home." He said. "You could take a taxi."

"Do you think I am a tycoon?" I said as I heard him speak of money so carelessly. "I'll take a train, I hope you can wait a bit for me."

"Ok, we will send someone to look for you at the station. See you!!" he said nearly singing before hanging down.

It was funny. I had to apologize to the waitress and I ran to the station to catch the train. However, when I arrived the station, I saw noone i would knew there. There were some people, it was true, but noone that I knew.

Instead, there was a cool girl with blond locks who seemed to be looking for someone.

Isa was today wearing a pair of worn out jeans with several cuts she made on them as soon as she bought them that same morning and a new t-shirt she bought from a designer called Vivienne Westwood at a good shop at the center.

She looked around but saw noone she could remember so she began walking towards the place her cousin has told her. As she didn't knew where the place was she asked the woman at the station ticket counter who politely told her how to get to the place, when she arrived she found it was a normal restaurant so she came in and began looking for Shin and Nobu.

**Nobu Part.**

It was funny, we were chatting with Yasu and Ginpei-sama about the afternoon practices on a new song I am about ending when Shin saw his cousin appear, and began waving madly at her as if he was a little child.

That guy is really astonishing. He can be really mature sometimes and others he behaves worse than a little child.

Anyway, he caught her attention and she began coming towards us. She was smiling and today really wore as Nana used to.

"Is that your cousin, Shin?" Ginpei-sama said softly.

"Yes, but her name is Isa for short." Shin said.

"I don't think it's a good idea of her being put up at Nobu's." Yasu said putting his cig off at the ashtray. "She looks elder than you."

"She is my age." I said a bit annoyed.

"Hello, Shin. Hi Nobu." She said smiling. "You really caught me about ordering meal."

"Oh, sit here." Shin told her moving a bit aside so her to sit between him and Yasu on one side of the table while I sat on the other and Gimpei-sama sat on their left and Misato to their right.

"By the way." Yasu said. "Where is Misato? Wasn't she comming with you?"

"Who is her?" Isa said.

"Damn... she must be still waiting at the station." I said taking my phone out to call her.

Five minutes after having introduce Shin's cousin to Yasu and Ginpei-sama Misato came and she was also introduced to her.

We ordered and while that, we chatted about music. Isa seemed interested in music too, and, I must recognise she seemed to also know about it.

"So you know about music?" Ginpei said smiling.

He was as our father sometimes.

"Yes, well I mean... I have met some musicians, yes." She said going pink.

"On your dad's?" Shin said.

She noded. Her family should have lot of money if they have hotels good enough for putting up good musicians.

"That's good." Ginpei said. "I supose musicians on your place are simmilar to the ones here."

"In fact... I have also met some japanese musicians lately." She said softly.

That attracted our attention.

"I'm a fan of Trapnes and it happened that they chosed our hotel in London to stay at while they were doing some bussiness there some time ago." She said looking to the dish she was eating and stiring the noodles. "So I had chance of speaking the guys. Reira stayed at her bedroom cause she seemed not to be feeling well and Takumi didn't went out of his room either too much. The blond one and Ren were nicer."

As she said so Yasu looked down a bit and so did Shin, I loked to a side. Remembering that man who had taken Nana/Hachi from me was paiful. But Ginpei-sama and Misato looked at her with interest.

"You met Ren?!" Misato said.

"Trapnes is our bigest competitor." Gimpei-sama said.

"ReallY?!" she asked. "Shin! You didn't told me you were profesional musician!!"

"We have not chat for too long." He said looking back up.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"Would you mind if those two are missing for some days?" Misato said at the desserts.

"No." I said then when I realised she was talking to me. "I still have to find a flat to live at."

"We will be caged at the record company and will have to live on the rooms they give us." Yasu told me then.

"If she doesn't mind, she could share one with me." Misato then offered a bit worried. "She would feel rather lonely being alone at Nobu's place..."

"I don't want to disturb." I said.

"There are some extra rooms." The old man who was their agent said worried too. "And for a young lady to live in such an unsafe place as his all by herown can be dangerous."

"Dangerous?" she said. "Do robbers come on packs?"

"I'm afraid she is not scared of robbers." Shin said then taking a puff of his cig out. "She thinks she is strong."

"I'm strong." I said making them all laugh.

I then also laugh. They were really understimating me. I had been taugh on sefdefence since early age due to my dad's job so now, despite of my appearance I was perhaps stronger than average men but I was used to it, not much men thought I was strong. Just Ren had noticed it when he saw me swimming at the hotel pool when Naoki and him were going to the bar and saw me dive with a clean head jump that went high. I still can remember how when I went out of the pool Ren was staring while Naoki was in the middle of one of his never ending speechs.

"Heya, you must be strong for swimming for so long." He just said. "My name is Ren, and he is Naoki."

"Trapnes guitarist and dummer." I said.

He was the second one seing I was strong even when my appearance didn't said so.

When we ended, I was allowed to get to their training.

They began training while I was allowed to stay at the general room wich had a Karaoke box too. I turned the Karaoke on and began seing wich songs there were. Then I saw a song I knew on the data. It was Trapnes "Endless story" so I clicked on it and the song began.

I then closed my eyes and began singing for fun, knowing noone would hear me as they were all busy on their works. (I'm posting it all in english, so sorry)

"If you haven't chaged your mind

I want you to stay with me tonight

I grew tired of trying to act strong

I realise I was too young, everytime I think about you, baby.

But now I can say it, I miss you.

It's so hard to say I'm sorry.

I just wish that I could sing this song for you,

And not just anyone.

An endless story, with a light that never ends.

Always, I long to express my love for you for all eternity.

(Instrumental music)

Memories of our time toghether,

Don't destroy them like this, don't go away.

I want to thaw them out and make them real

Droplets of your kindness explode within my heart.

I'm missing you so much it hurts.

Don't stop holding my hand.

And just if, it's possible, I want to sing

For you once again.

An endless story with a never-ending love

Tell me why, I have to know, for all time.

I just wish that I could sing this song for you,

And no just anymore.

An endless story, with a light that never ends.

Always, I long to express my love for you for all eternity.

I just wish that I could sing this song for you,

And no just anymore.

An endless story, with a light that never ends.

Always, I long to express my love for you for all eternity.

(Ending instrumental music)"

Then it ended and I opened my eyes with an smile as I thought noone had heard me.

Then I heard claps at my back so nearly jumped to hear where did they come from. It was as if the whole staff of the place were there hearing me so I went red in embarrashment. Specially when Shin came and hung from my neck.

"You sang wonderful!" he said happyly as a little child. "You never told me!!"

"Shin... you are begining to drown me." I said red in embarrashment.

"You were sining Reira's song?" Nobu asked then.

"I have heard that cd lots of times." I said remembering a cd Ren lended me to copy if I liked it containing two different girls voices who he told me were Trapnes and Blast's singers.

Yasu was looking at me too, but his face was not the same amazed one than the rest, well, it was on a begining, but then he went to his smiling one for a second before going back to normal.

"We were out for a little rest." He told me. "Then we heard you singing and when we came all the people you saw were already here. It seems they were attracted by your voice being not Reira's but as powerful as hers singing that song."

"Sorry, I didn't thought I could bother anyone." I said going red again.

"No, it's ok." Nobu said then. "We were having a rest, furthermore, inside the training area no sound from outside can come in."

He seemed also a bit embarrashed of having over heard me, so that made me smile.

"Perhaps you would not mind singing a bit more for us." Their mannager asked me smiling when he made the rest leave. "In the training room while they play a bit."

"But... I have never heard they playing..." I said shocked.

"Please..." Shin said, then he took a more adult and sexy role. "It'd be fun."

I went shocked till Nobu hitted his head softly making me laugh as Shin began crying and Nobu told him off.

"What do you think Yasu?" I then asked him softly smiling.

"I think you should have a go." He said. "We lost our singer some weeks ago. She dropped singing and began modelling. So now a voice could be ok for helping us play acording to a lead voice."

I then smile.

"Ok, then I supose there's nothing to lose on me trying it for fun." I answered. "I will get some fun and you will be able to better train."

Shin and Nobu seemed to go happy, their mannager smiled in relief and Yasu smiled too.

Then after drinking some water and Shin disappearing for a little while after wich he came back smelling to tobbaco smoke, we went in their training room and they began playing.

After hearing once, I was said to sing what I wanted.

"Ok, I'll try to do my best." I said holding the microphone.

They trained for about another hour and I sing after hearing the songs first.

When we ended, we were leaded by some staff to the rooms we would live at for the following three to four days.

**Nobu Part.**

That night, we appointed to met to play mah-jhon again. Shin and Yasu smoked a bit even when it was forbidden.

"Why didn't you told me you sang?" Shin said.

"I thought you knew." Isa said then playing. "My father put me under strict education since early age so now I can play several instruments, sing, cook, house clean, take after his path, sew, drive, fight, play several sports..."

It was amazing a person could be good at the endless list she was saying she could do.

"And play mah-john well too." She added putting her play over the table.

She won again.

Shin began acting as a little kid again as Yasu smiled. It was true we had not found such a good player after meeting Shin. They must have a gambling gen on their genetical.

She was also good at drinking. She had drank her fifteenth beer tin and she was still not drunk. Another gen they seemed to have in common.

"Say Shin." She said. "Do you keep having so much success among girls as you had when you were about... twelve?" she asked.

"I still keep having less than you." He answered smiling ironically as he shaffled the pieces again.

What did he mean with less success with men than her?

"Well... I have not had so much sucess lately." She said smiling. "I have not do a man since... a week that I broke up with my boyfriend."

That made me frozen and also Yasu, but Shin laughed.

"I still remember what I heard your father tell mine about he catching you ex-ex-ex-ex... boyfriend trying to get through your window."

How much ex-boyfriends did she had?

"It was not that!" she said laughin. "It was just two ex!"

"Isa, I think you should stop drinking..." Yasu told her.

"Why? I'm still not drunken!" she said taking her can closer to her chest.

"When she drinks she is the funniest!" Shin said laughing.

"We don't want to see it, Shin." I said softly.

"Anyway..." Yasu said.

He tended to be that protective with girls specially. And she was Shin's relative.

"I have an idea." Shin then said taking a poker bunch of cards from somewhere. "Why don't we play poker?"

"That would be a good change." Yasu said. "Do everyone know how to play?"

"I know." I said raising my hand.

"Poker is no interesting..." Isa said.

"Strip-poker?" Shin asked looking at her with an ironical face as shaffling the cards.

"Count me!" she said smiling and sitting back down.

That made Yasu and me go gobsmacked.

"Just till we are on underwear." She said smiling.

"It's ok with me." I said.

"But I want to see more!!" Shin said again as a little child.

"Shin, you are a lost one." Yasu said telling him off.

"At least allow the lady to shuffle them." I told him taking his cards to give them to Isa.

"No!" Shin said. "She was the one teaching me!"

Then she began shuffling them as if was the first time she shuffled cards.

First hand she lost, second one again.

She had already taken her jumper and stockings off. Another hand and I had to put my long sleeve t-shirt off wearing just my trousers.

Another hand and Shin went like me. Another hand and she lost her trousers, lukily for her, the t-shirt she was wearing was long enough for being used as a short dress.

"Why don't you drop it?" Yasu said.

"Nah., I want to take your shirt off too." She said winking.

"I think it should be Nobu who dropped it." Shin said.

"Just don't say nonsenses!" I said then bothered.

Suddely Yasu lost his shirt, just as she had predicted.

That left us with the trousers and her with the baggy t-shirt.

"And the next one loses his pants." She said.

"Or your t-shirt." I answered.

She then looked in fun at me. Suddely she had turned out into a different girl.

She had began to shuffle the cards as if she was part of a casino staff. She then destributed the cards and looked at hers. Her face then went empty of emotions.

No need to say that in three more hands we were wearing just our underwear and she still kept he t-shirt.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

The guys were now on their underwear while I was still wearing my shirt on. I kept on shuffling the cards in case they were fool enough to ask me for another hand in wich they will go naked. Anyway, I smiled as I saw them like that. It was funny cause Yasu was wearing stripped loose boxers, while Nobu wore tigh ones with a funny pattern on them and Shin wore a weird kind of sexy underwear.

"I told you she was good at it!" Shin said as I began shuffling the cards again. "She was the one teaching me poker game!"

"She seems as if she had played all her life." Nobu said then.

"That was not your first time playing this, was it?" Yasu asked taking a long puff of his cig smoke.

"No." I said smiling. "For a girl with a family as mine and my likes there are plenty times to learn how to play poker as a master. And I can asure you I have won lot of money like this. And also seen cute guys with less clothes than you!"

It was true, I have risked a lot but also won thousand times more. That way I have went "pro" on card games.

Then Yasu ordered us all to go to sleep and we left Nobu's room to get to our rooms. I was given myown room.

It was about two in the morning when I felt freezing cold and began turning in my bed till I decided to stand up and try to get some heat by walking out to the bathroom to have a shower.

Anyway, when I was looking for the shower, Shin came out of his bedroom door scratching softly his left eye.

"Can't you sleep?" he asked.

"No, it's freezing cold in my room." I muttered.

He seemed to take some time to process the information, then he knocked on Shin's door softly till he opened it.

"What's up now?" he asked.

"She can't sleep." Shin told him. "Would you mind sharing room with her?"

"What?!" Nobu said waking up on less than a second.

"C'mon... I want to sleep, your bed is the bigest of all and she is not going to rape you." Shin said as he pussed me inside to close the door. "Just try not to make too much noise..." he said before leaving.

Nobu then scratched his head and sat on the bed. "Damn... that kid..."

I looked at him from the door, he was wearing his underwear, but then he put on a pair of trousers and got in the bed.

"C'mon, I don't bite." He said laying to give me his back if I laid down at his bed.

"Is it ok with you?" I asked him as I remember how red he had gone when he was the second one going on his underwear after Yasu.

"Yes." He said. "If you can't sleep on your bedroom you can share bed with any of us. Though I can understand you prefer to share with your cousin."

"It's ok." I said jumping in his bed with great care of not touching him the slightless. "My bedroom was freezing cold." I said.

I think he thought I was saying it as an excuse to get in a guy's bed, but the following morning when I said Yasu went to have a look and discovered the refreshing sistem had break off that night so the room I was having was indeed about 12ºC in the morning and about 8ºC in the night. Too cold for normal sleeping. So I was put up with cousin Shin who changed room with Nobu as his bedroom was the one having two beds.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Blast new singer.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

We spent at Gaia Record Company's bedrooms for "kidnapped" musicians as the musicians called them. They trained day and night and recorded their progress.

On the other hand, I was there with them but for the time I went out with Misato to look for my own flat. Finally, on the second day "caged", we found a really cheap flat near Nobu's and the train station. It was pretty cheap and furthermore, I planed to work. I knew that I should begin with a little job such as shop assistant or something like that, but I planned to work as econimician for a company.

Perhaps in Gaia Records could need a licensed in economy person. Or I could apply for an Attorneys' buffet to help them a bit. Or maybe another company. All I hoped was to get a good job where I could work happily and earn my money fair and square.

Despite of having my own place, I spent the following days with Shin and the Blast. I heard the Trapnes speak about them, in fact, Ren told me he was friend of the band and that Naoki, Reira and Takumi were friends of the drummer of the band too.

I really went surprised when they told me that. In fact because Takumi didn't seemed too fond of being friends with them. Perhaps it was they had had a big argument in the past or just that he was a bit weird.

Anyway, the guys on Blast seemed to be nice. I mean, I already knew my cousin Shin, but I knew not that much. Now that I was "living" with them I had not only met my cousin deeper but also his friends.

As soon as we went out, Yasu offered to come with me and have a look at the papers I must sign to begin living at the flat, also in which conditions the flat was and to help me with the light, gas and water calls to begin having them at my house.

So, that meant another night at Nobu's house. However, the following day I went to my new house to check the light, the water and the gas were now working so I could begin living there. First thing I did was going to shop the basic things such as dishes, glasses, cutlery and some furniture as a bed, a heater, a fridge, some coking things and some foldable chairs for the house. I also had to buy a wardrobe to hang my clothes and some bath things such as tooth paste and a tooth brush. The rest would be bought little by little as I thought I needed them.

However, the shop where I bought all had not delivery service so I had to carry everything myself. However, as Shin came with me to the shop, he called Nobu and he came with his working robes to help carrying things. Then I knew he worked for a moving company.

That same night I had a bed to sleep in, a wardrobe to put my clothes in and some chairs and cooking things to begin cooking my food. What was missing was the food.

"We go shopping your food with you if you invite us to have dinner!" Shin said smiling.

"Shin!" Nobu told him off. "Don't be so cheeky!"

"It's not a problem." I said holding my laugh. "I wanted to invite you when I ended the house. So tomorrow if I have finish decorating it you could also come to have dinner here. And also call Yasu, please."

That way we were shopping lot of food for filling my new fridge.

On the following day, Shin helped me redecorating my house with Nobu.

My new house was not the biggest you can think, but it had three rooms, a bathroom and a living room-kitchen only separated by a little bar-like counter.

They painted the bedroom while I began making some wood pieces I had found the same day on a building place and that, with some girls' charms, managed to make one of the working men there cut at some size and shape for me, begin turning into a solid table.

At the end of the day, my bedroom was finished, the paint was dry yet the room kept on smelling, and the kitchen-living room was also painted with a beautiful table and some chairs there. The kitchen was finished since the previous day, and the toilet was nearly ended too. The bath tube was somehow big, that was the reason why I liked it, I love to have long baths at bath tubes where I can be relaxed with the water till my neck.

The other two bedrooms were still untouched but for cleaning them. I would beg painting them the following day.

Shin bought me a couple of ashtrays as a present cause as I didn't smoke at home I had not bought any. In fact I hardly ever smoke; it is bad for my voice and also makes teeth go yellow little by little. Furthermore, when I used to smoke from time to time, I usually did it hiding from my father's sight, at the street or pubs I used to visit.

So the same night I ended decorating the flat I called Yasu and told him to come as Shin and Nobu were already there. He told me that he would be there on about half an hour because he was ending something then. So I began cooking some dinner for all. I had never been allowed to cook when my father was around, but I had certainly helped the hotel staff from time to time. And when my father was not at the town I used to spend some time with some friends and I used to cook a bit. Anyway, I managed to cook some European dishes and then Nobu told me how to cook something Japanese. He told me how and I did it. It was always funny to cook for friends. I really enjoyed doing it.

About three quarters after calling him, Yasu came.

He was bringing a wine bottle.

**Yasu's Part.**

After having worked for all the day I was still working on one of the matters the buffet had and that I was working at with another mate. A woman suiting her last financial adviser for having tried to steal money from her little by little. It would have been just a mistake the man did, but his work was paid by the woman and he had to find evidences to win the judgement.

I was beginning to be fed up with no finding a relevant prove when I got a call. Shin's cousin number. I answered and she invited me to have dinner with Nobu, Shin and her to housewarming.

Smiling I decided that I would go. I told her that it would take me half an hour to end with the point of my work I was in and then go. It took me three quarters of an hour to get there with a wine bottle to thank her for the dinner.

When I arrived I was surprised to see her new flat was big even now that she remodelled it. The living room which had dirty wall when we arrived was now shinning under the lamp lights and it seemed that she had made a great house from an old flat. In fact, she had put a nice table next to the window and really looked as the one Nana and Nana used to share when they arrived.

She went happy with the bottle.

"It's just a present." I said smiling as I took my jacket off.

Nobu and Shin were already there, sitting on the table smoking and playing card games while she cooked. The smell of the meal was just great, but when I went next to the little bin I saw some fast food boxes there.

Anyway, when she served the dinner my suspects were defeated. No fast-food service would have cooked such dishes and so well.

Shin, Nobu and I were the ones laying the table while she put food on serving trays to bring it to us with a smile.

We had dinner happily. And I think that she was someone who is worth to meet deeper. She already surprised us when we heard her sing so nicely, as if she was a professional singer instead of a hotel tycoon daughter. When Shin told us about her family we thought she would be another posh girl, but she had proved not to be such thing. I mean, it's obvious she had a cared education and that she has refined manners worthy of a princess, but she was not so stiff and had no difficulty on acting as a normal girl, even a bit malish cause she sometimes acted as our Nana.

It was funny because it was as if she was a good mix between both Nanas and a princess. She didn't show her princess manners too easily, but she had them, I had seen them when she treated with our manager about the new songs we had made up.

In further information of her, looking at google and the internet, I saw her whole career. Only daughter, with an elder brother who was studying abroad his second university career, of a hotel tycoon who owned hotels all over the world. She had studied Economy as university career in order her to follow her family tradition. Top student in school, high school and university... just the perfect daughter. Clever, smart and sexy. It was hard to find any single "stain" at her life. But as her family was important I supposed her father would have paid for any stain she could have put on her family name.

Anyway, looking at her now I could doubt she had put any stain on her life. Perhaps sleeping with guys, but nothing too important or shameful for the family reputation.

"Our father's are just the same." Isa said while she eats with them. "Shin's one went mad when he ran away, not because he had lost him but because he could do something that could endirt their reputation."

"And your father thought the same." Nobu said.

"No, mine just told me that I could consider myself disinherited." Isa said shrugging. "I don't know if he is worried for me or not, all I want is him stop controlling my life."

I looked down, she remembered me too much things, Shin's family, Nana and Hatchi mixture, Reira's present hair and appearance on the photos he saw on the net...

Night went pass and we drank. Nobu soon fell asleep, and Shin went a bit drunk but didn't stop drinking yet he went slowly.

She then went to have more alcohol from a 24 hours shop so I ran after her.

"Wait!" I called her when she was already walking towards the shop.

She then turned her head softly to see who was calling and smiled when she saw me. I think she was relieved when she saw me.

"There was no need for you to come." She told me.

"You can't carry all the bags yourself." I told her as I put a cig on my lips to light it. "Furthermore, it's not safe for a young girl to walk alone and I wanted to talk to you."

"I hope you don't want to ask me out." She said joking.

She reminded me Nana, our singer who had just leaved us. She also used to joke with things like that.

"No, I wanted to tell you our manager thinks you sing well so he wanted to give you a chance." I told her. "You know we have no singer so... it would be good for you and for us. And you lose nothing trying."

"I have never thought of working on that." She said looking to the sky. "But I suppose you are right, I lose nothing trying and I could help you guys." She added smiling mildly.

"Well, finding a job as econmicist will be a bit hard on the beginning." I told her. Perhaps if I began with the chat she would open to me a bit more. "Even if you had such a good marks on the career as you."

"I see you have put some afford on finding things about me." She just said smiling. "But yes, I'm having some difficulties finding something that matches me."

We then began choosing some bottles and beer cans. After getting all she paid for them and we left.

"Thanks for helping me carrying the bags." She said.

"It's why I came apart of protection." I said.

"Protection." She said laughing. "I have told you all thousand times I need no protection."

"Allow me to disagree." I said.

She looked special, but definitively not much match against muggers.

"Well, I'm used to people misunderstimating me." She just said smiling. "But on a fight three guys against me... I would win fair and square."

That made me laugh and she hit me softly at the chest smiling.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

When we reached her home, Nobu was sleeping at my bed and Shin was watching my guitar. Yasu and me dropped our bags at the fridge and then we went to Shin's side.

"I found this." He said lifting the guitar.

"I brought it cause I play when I feel lonely." I said opening my beer can.

"Really?" Shin said. "You can play guitar?"

"Yes. Guitar, flute, violin, piano, violoncello, bass..." I said beginning to count with my fingers. "I had a good education. My father put great expectation on my musical and housewife matters."

That seemed to make Shin go astonished, I though he was under the same education that me by his father wishes too.

"Can you play a bit?" he said.

"Ok..." I said softly as I began laying the guitar on position. "Let's see if I can play much..."

Then I began playing the guitar softly. It was not the one I used to play on my lessons, but it was the one I had first bought, an Ibanez GAX30TR Transparent Red Rosewood Electric Guitar which I had have repainted in black with red and purple flames with "I.L." carved on the very end of the bridge.

Then I began playing a tune I had long ago written. It was not very good, but was the first song I wrote.

Shin and Yasu listened to it with interest, and when I end Shin began clapping happily. "It's still not ended and I think it needs some… touches." I began saying.

"It didn't sound too bad." Yasu said.

"It was good!" Shin said. "Maybe you should also play it with us!!"

"That's Nobu's role." I said smiling.

"Nana, our past singer used to play from time to time." Yasu said. "Just little pieces when she was not singing."

"But… I am not so good guitarist!" I said shocked.

"That's true." Shin said. "But you are good!"

That made me go red. We drank a bit more. I must admit Shin stands alcohol pretty well despite of his age, yet he went drunk soon.

"I'm taking them home." Yasu said about getting to my bedroom.

"No." I said when I saw Nobu sleeping at my new bed. "Drop them there. Just… help me moving Shin to the bed and I'll sleep on the quilt thing."

"Futon" Yasu said. "I don't think it's a good idea. In any case they would be the ones sleeping on the ground."

"I am not so evil to make them do it" I said smiling softly. "Do you want the last one?"

"I'd love to, but I'm afraid I have to go to work tomorrow." Yasu told me smiling. "I have a bad thing at my hands."

"If I'm of any help just tell me." I said smiling.

"Don't worry, I have still not found any clues of a financial cheating…" Yasu said opening the door.

"Financial?" I said smiling. "I'm not a lawyer but… I am an economy master."

"I don't want to bother…" he said stopping at the door.

"Just try me." I said smiling. "Let's see if I can help. And I'll make some coffee to help being awaken."

He seemed to think a bit and then he nodded. "Just let me get my laptop from my place and I'll come back, right?"

"Ok, I'm beginning to do some coffee." I said.

He left and I began boiling water to cook some coffee. When he returned we began having a look at the whole matter of his problem. For hours and hours I listened to the problem and then I began giving him a hand the best I could, I didn't thought it would be the man was stealing money from his customer, but he had to probe it, so I told him some ways of trying to find something that could probe it.

The next morning, a phone call woke us all up. I was asleep over the table. Yasu was still typing on the laptop with his tie loosened and the shirt opened till the chest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Second CD. New singer.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

It is nearly four months since Yasu told me their manager, Mr. Gimpei, wanted to give me a chance. In all this time I had been singing with the Black Stones and they have finally taken me as their singer. On the other hand, I met Takumi's wife Miss Nana Komatsu, who now has Takumi's surname because they are married. She has a little kid also name Nobu, and despite I have not much mother sense, I love that little thing.

On the other hand, now I work for Gaia record company as financial adviser and economist helper. That is good because I can work on the same place that later I join my new friends to begin recording some songs.

Today is the day. Their second CD and my first one, which in fact is the same, goes out on sale at the record shops. I am working at my office when I heard the news in the staff room next to my office TV, directly from the best big stores at the channel nana (7); the reporter was in the middle of a crowd of people fighting to get their album.

In fact, the company had forbidden us to speak about anything concerning the new CD since they announced it. If they wanted to know, then they should speak with the producers.

In fact, I had to be rescued by Yasu when the notice that I was the new singer got the media that same morning. He came to my flat where some journalists were trying to speak to me. Just cause he didn't wanted me to get frightened. As if were to be frightened cause of that.

Anyway, I was happy when he came to look for me to take me to the company.

**Nana K. Part.**

I was watching TV. Boring at Takumi's and mine house. He was home today, but he was sleeping as the previous day he came back home from one of his trips late.

Then I stopped at nana (7) channel. There used to speak about Nana and the Blast. I knew she left the band and I also knew they had a new friend who covered Nana on their trainings. The Blast new CD was being released today so one of the reporters was covering the biggest department stores in the city to see about the news. The girls were mad trying to get their CDs. That made me smile in joy as I saw my friends the Blast members were still successful even after Nana left the band.

"The band seems not to have lost any of their fans." The reporter said highly to be heard over the crowd shouts. "And after the band was left by their singer Nana, Ren's girlfriend, left for becoming a top model we thought they would never get another singer so good as her but... obviously it was a great mistake."

Then the reporter got nearer the stand and I saw the big poster covering the wall where the CD stands were. It was a big photo of the band. Nobu, Shin, Yasu and in the centre of all... Then the remote control fell from my hand and Shin Jr. began crying with the noise.

Takumi then ran because he thought something had happened to Shin or me, and when he saw we were looking at the TV. He sighed.

"You should be more careful." He told me while kissing my neck and Shin's head softly. "You made our baby cry."

"She is there." I said pointing to the screen. "Blast new singer."

Takumi then lifted his head to see the screen where the news presenters of the channel. He frowned when he saw the photo of the band members, especially Nobu. And then he opened his eyes when he saw who was on the video they were showing of Yasu escorting a brown and red haired lady looking to the front.

"What is she doing there?" he asked.

I then looked up to see his face. He was looking at the screen as if he knew Isa too. But he was not there when I was introduced to her, and not there when I met them and she was with them.

**Nana O. Part.**

I was at a photo session with some of Vivvien new clothing. It was funny to wear my favourite designer clothing and being took photos with it, but I missed smoking and drinking with my friends. I liked singing, but I wasn't singer anymore. I first lost Hachi, and then Ren, then I lost the wish of singing… what would be next? At least I still kept my friends…

"Ok, a rest for everyone." The boss said.

I then went out of the studio and lighted a cig at the only room in all the building that was allowed to smoke in. Luckily, in the staff of the modelling session I also have friends.

Suddenly Mariko-chan, one of the girls in the staff who once was fan of Blast and me came running. I was sitting on a table smoking and relaxing when she arrived running to me.

"Nana! Nana!" she said fast. "Come, quick please!"

"What's up now?" I asked. "Is the studio on fire?"

"Come! You have to see it!" she said pulling from me excited.

She took me to the waiting room where a TV. was there for the staff and waiting people to relax watching it.

Someone had turned it on at the nana (7) channel and the day news was on.

They used to speak about the Blast, the Trapnes and me. The Blast new CD was being released today so one of the reporters was covering the biggest department stores in the city to see about the news.

I didn't know they had recorded another CD after the one we recorded.

The girls at the department stores were mad trying to get their CDs and the assistants there were about being killed by them. That made me smile in fun as I saw my friends the Blast members were still successful even after me leaving the band. And even funnier was to see how the girls were about drowning each others to get their CDs.

"The band seems not to have lost any of their fans." The reporter said highly to be heard over the crowd shouts. "And after the band was left by their singer Nana, Ren's girlfriend, left for becoming a top model we thought they would never get another singer so good as her but... obviously it was a great mistake."

Why did they always say about me that I was Ren's girlfriend? Why couldn't they just say "Nana, the young 21 years old ex-singer of the Blast's"?

Then the reporter got nearer the stand and I saw the big poster covering the wall where the CD stands were. It was a big photo of the band. Nobu, Shin, Yasu and in the centre of all... My cig fell from my lips when I saw there was a black and white photo with red on the hair of an unknown girl for me.

"The new and mysterious singer" they called her. I couldn't believe there was another girl at my place. Who was her? What was she doing taking my place from me?

I then took my phone and phoned Yasu, but his phone was turned off. Then I phoned the second person that could give me a tip.

"Yes?" a sleepy voice said.

"Who is her?" I asked him.

"N… Nana?" Ren said. "What do you want? Who are you asking about?"

"The new vocalist of Blast!" I said angry. "Who is her? They are appearing on the Channel 7!"

I heard how he walked on the flat and turned to TV. on.

"Sorry, I was out till late yesterday." He said while finding the remote control and turning the TV. on.

"I bet you were getting drunk again." I said. "Are you looking TV. now? Who is her?!"

"It seems your friends' new singer." Ren said. "Why are you so mad at it? Afterall it was you who dropped the band…"

"But I didn't think they would keep on without me!!" I said.

"Nana, you are being possessive…" he said.

I knew I was being possessive again. He didn't need to tell me. But I couldn't believe they had replaced me so soon and easily.

"Hold on a second please." He said. "I've got another call."

Then he put me on waiting call while he spoke to someone else on another phone line.

"Good news." He said when he took the phone back. "I know who she is, but you are not going to like it."

"Tell me!" I urged him.

"We met her when we were at London for the photos last time." Ren told me. "She seemed to be the daughter of the hotel owner."

"What a..!!" I said.

"There's something else." He said. "He is someone really funny, she seems not to be the typical English rich girl…"

Then he kept on speaking with me. The Blast new disk first concert was the same day than Trapnes last concert of their new tour.

Nana had a new dilemma again. Meeting her friends or her ex-boyfriend and friend…

Pride and friendship or love? Which path to chose?

**Nana K. Part.**

Takumi Ichinoise was talking to Ren at the phone when Nana was watching TV. and their baby was sleeping at her lap.

She wanted to go to her friends' new concert, but when the date was said on the media she went shocked. It was the same day that Takumi's tour last concert too. Same time but different places.

She had a great dilemma at her hands. On one hand, going to meet her friends which would mean Takumi's going angry as he hated Blast stealing Trapnes attention. On the other hand, going to see Takumi which would mean her friends feeling disappointed for her preferring to go with Takumi.

Love or friendship? Which path to take?

**Isabelle B. Part.**

It was funny, we were announced our first concert to promote the CD when the rest came. Misato was happy for us all, cause she was Nana's fan but also Blast fan so us going so successful on our first work together was something that made her happy all the day.

I liked her smile. She made me feel well, I wanted Hachi, how the rest called Takumi's wife, to come and visit us. Don't know why but she made me feel well too. I didn't know her much because I have just met her twice when she came to visit the rest who were her friends too. Who I really wanted to met was Nana Oosaki, the previous singer of the band.

But we were going to concert the same day Trapnes ended their tour too. Perhaps I would meet them again. I'd love to see Ren and the noisy Naoki. Also Reira who had been on her room all the day when they were at my father's main hotel in London.

And of course, Takumi. The mysterious Takumi and Hachi's husband.

"I can't wait to our new live!!" Nobu said happily.

"Isa, this is going to be your first live too, isn't it?" Yasu said.

"You'll see!" Shin said smiling as he put his cig off on the ashtray. "This is really as screwing."

"I suppose that's depending on the man you are doing it with, isn't it?" I said joking.

That made all laugh, including Yasu who smiled.

I must agree Nobu, I also really couldn't wait the day to come. My first live… and perhaps my dad could see it and be proud of me…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Blast new concert. The two roses.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"This is me, Jun, informing since Sogakudo Hall in Tokyo were Trapnes concert is being held tonight." It was news on the Nana (7) channel. We had it on while we waited on the hotel room. Mr. Gimpei had took us to a hotel cause he didn't want press to bother us.

"Here, in Arikae Coliseum the sights are not so different." The man at the same news said. "Blast have lost their singer Nana, but they seem to have found another good singer. Yet no one seems to know where she had came from, it's pain clear she is just what fans asked for. A good voice matching an amazing body." It was funny; all that they called attention about was my voice and body. As if I was just another doll. "Fans seem to have come here expecting to get into one of the best concerts in the world." We were good, but perhaps not the best in the world, yet we will soon be.

I couldn't believe it. They interviewed some fans; they had been queuing for hours, even a full day.

It was as if they wanted blood to run over Trapnes or us. What was the point of all this? I knew I could not compete against the mysterious Nana Oosaki everyone spoke about. In fact I think we have nothing in common but for the beauty, which was different in both, and the beautiful voice for songs.

The reporters marked the rivalry that will be between both bands and our concerts, both halls would be crowded and fans were about crying in joy about the expectation of seeing us before the concert. Suddenly me, who felt as if she was just a doll her father was proud to show off, the perfect daughter who was submissive and sweet; a girl who looked as a little modern princess on business world and society manners; I felt as if some unknown Japanese people loved me cause of me. I wanted to go there and shout and cry in joy.

But this is life. I couldn't go and get to where fans were queuing. And all that people didn't went there to see me. They went there to see my mates. Or at least so was what the interviewed people were saying. Nobu, Yasu, Shin... were the names repeated once and again, not Isa. They didn't even know my name. I was just the new singer. The innovation of the music scene and nothing more.

"Isabel." A girl suddenly said taking me out of my thoughts.

"So you know her?" the interviewer said.

"No, but I'd like to." The girl said. "I mean… it's the first time I hear from her. After this CD, I mean. And I think that she is a nice girl. I'd really love to speak to her…"

"And if you could, what you would tell her?" the interviewer said.

"Isa, you are the best!" she said looking straight to the camera. "I'll be cheering for you!"

That made me cry softly in joy. It was the first time someone said me so. Not even my father when I ended my career with highest marks ever seen there.

Then Shin and Nobu came to see me. They had seen be channel at Nobu's room and jumped on my bed to join me and begin commenting the news.

We were there; chatting about things till our staff came to tell us to begin leaving for the concert preparations. We had to change clothes at the Hall rooms, get make up and hairdos… but first of all, reaching the place avoiding the fans that would be waiting there.

**Nana K. Part.**

I had seen the news on the Nana Channel. Since they spoke about Blast and Trapnes she looked at it for lot of time a day.

She was making up, despite of not be going to any of the concerts she would be watching at them on TV. where they would be showed up on direct. Takumi had told her to get a taxi to get where she wanted.

"I wonder if they will be angry at me for my choice…" she thought as she make up her lips.

Then she took the taxi. Her baby was sleeping at her bedroom and she had turned the TV. on to begin hearing from the first song. She would be recording Takumi's concert while seeing Blast one.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

We were now ready; the staff had made me up as a little punk princess while the rest were smart punk wearing. Yasu was wearing really smart on his suit robes, Nobu wore as a smart punk and Shin was wearing rather casual punk.

I was wearing as a punk girl princess. I really looked as a weird Reira clone with my red hair falling as a curtain at my back and wearing smart punk robes.

Outside lights went off and the guys went into their places with their instruments ready to begin, I had been taken to a special post to do an entrance.

Music began and I was raised on my platform, I was looking down with my eyes closed and when I "saw" lights out I opened it appearing on the platform with my eyes opening as I began singing.

**Nana O. Part.**

There they were, Nobu, Shin and Yasu did the usual appearance on our concerts. They got to their places in the dark so when the lights turned on they were there.

Who was missing was their singer. The crowd around me were shouting and all; I could remember how it was when they shouted my name, now they were calling my mates. Some also called the new girl's name. "Isa, Isa…" they shouted.

Then when guys began playing they fell silent till a red haired head began appearing from the ground.

She was pretty, I must recognise it. She could perfectly get work as model too. But beauty was not all that cared on music.

However, when she began singing, my jaw fell and my mouth opened wide in surprise. She really had voice! Perhaps she was even better than Reira! And she did better on a live than CDs which was just the opposite than usual.

The concert was wonderful, and the new singer was bright. Even Yasu and the rest smiled when they saw me there astonish at their new singer.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

When the concert ended I was thrilled. I waved as we moved to rest a bit. I suppose there would be encores.

"That was wonderful!!" Nobu said hugging me and lifting me from ground laughing.

"Yeah, you sounded bright there!" Nobu said smiling. "Wait till Nana can speak with us."

"Was Nana there?" I asked.

"First row." Yasu said. "She was wearing sunglasses and a hat in order people not to recognise her. I suppose she arrived late on purpose for her face not being seen."

So, that was it. She was famous model now. Nobu said it when he was drunk once; same goes for Hachi's story with him and the band.

Our manager congratulated us. He said Trapnes and us had had a fight and we had showed them we were great rivals. Same tickets sold for all, a full sold out for both and lot of fans crying outside and hoping to see us.

Our personal assistant began making people re-make me up so I was covered with brushes and combs trying to change my appearance again to perfect.

"Mr. Gimpei." Nobu said. "Nana Oosaki is here; could you send someone to bring her here if she wants to?"

"Sure!!" he said. "Oh, perhaps it was her who bought the ticket by phone with that weird man."

So was it, when the person sent by him came back Nana was not with him, she had told him she would come when we ended to say hello.

We went out again and began playing the favourite songs of the fans. Three songs and the concert ended.

It was more than midnight now. The concert had taken too long, but as she promised Nana Oosaki, the famous Nana Oosaki Nobu, Shin, Yasu and Hachi had told me about was there. Smiling as she smoked a cig from her lips.

My mates immediately began chatting with her as it seemed they were friends, but I stood a bit aside.

Then she noticed me and I was introduced to her.

"Your voice is good." She told me softly as we shook hands. "I'm happy they found a new singer."

No, it was clear she was not. But she felt rather well about it, so I smiled. I now knew why Hachi and Nobu admired Nana so much. She had glam, but not the usual glam; it was a natural glam, that that you don't know you have but you just show it naturally. She was wearing an extreme make up, but far from making her sad, it was cool on her.

"It's good to finally met you." Nana said smiling softly.

"I have heard them speak highly about you." I said smiling.

That girl could be perhaps a bit weird, but she was not a liar and her smile was warm and sincere.

"They are as brothers to me." Nana said laughing. "Nana Oosaki, by the way. Ex-Blast singer."

"Isabel, new Blast singer. And Shin's cousin." I said smiling.

"Cousin?" She said suddenly frowning. "He never said he had any family of about his age."

"That's perhaps we have not met too often." Shin said. "Furthermore, I have not told much about my life either!"

"Nana, wasn't Ren concerting today too?" Yasu said.

"Yes, but I preferred to see yours." She said as if it was normal.

I smiled, but the rest didn't seem to smile too.

"We are giving a party tonight." Mr. Gimpei said smiling. "Perhaps you want to come too?"

"Yes, why not?" Nana said smiling.

_Cause you should be with Ren._ I thought. I still remembered about Ren chat when I first met him a year ago. Then when they came to the same hotel. He had told me about his last and only girlfriend. He was really in love with her, on a weird way but in love, no doubt.

"Perhaps we could do it with the Trapnes." I said softly.

"I don't want to see certain member." Nobu said.

"If you mean Ren…" I said.

"I mean Takumi." Nobu said a bit angry.

"Ok, but I suppose it's not going on a little place." I said. "You have no need of meeting him. And after all, Ren was friend of yours, wasn't him?"

"Yes." He said grinning.

"Mr. Gimpei… could it be possible to do it on the same place?" I then said.

The man then began babbling something and Nana went nervous and bored so she began barking something at him and he finally managed to get it, the exact place and after calling their manager, they agreed to join both staff parties.

**Nana O. Part.**

I didn't felt like meeting Ren after all this time. We had split up due to pride and our jobs, and this time it was the end. I knew he could have any girl any time. But meeting him again after that, on a party where the Trapnes and the Blast, my past band, would share… that was too much. I wanted to leave, but Nobu, Yasu and the new girl held me to make me go with them.

I knew Nobu's reason was cause he wanted some support to have to face the man that had stolen his love from him. Yasu wanted me to face my problems and I suppose Shin wanted to be with me too. But why did the new girl want me to go? What interest did she have on joining both bands on a silly party?

**Isabelle B. Part.**

When we arrived the place where the party was being held we saw some fans were already out. How did she knew we were there I don't know.

Anyway, when we get to the main door and the bouncers managed to control the mass I looked around while we walked to get in. I had heard from Yasu and the managers that we shouldn't stop there.

But then I stopped looking ahead. I then turned my face still serious to watch the fans.

They were calling our names, so I smiled and walked towards them. There was a metal fence between them and us and a couple of bodyguards go to my sides to protect me.

"Hi, thanks for coming." I said smiling.

The fans shouted, and the ones who were also my fans tried to touch me despite of the bodyguards' protection. Then I outstretched my hands smiling and began shaking hands despite of everyone's in the staff astonishment, and then Nobu, Shin and Yasu also came to do the same.

Then another limousine came and the fans shouted again while the door opened and Trapnes came out, they just waved at the fans and got in the place. Reira was being held by Takumi's right arm so she couldn't have gone to shake fans' hands even if she had wanted to.

Then we were made to get in too and we did. Nana had been standing against the hall wall looking at us.

When we got in the disco-bar the staff and Trapnes already were there.

We ordered our drinks and began chatting.

After some time, I began feeling the music and felt like dancing so I tried to pull someone to the dancing area, but no one wanted to.

"You are boring!" I said joking.

Then I managed to get Shin with me pulling him towards the dance floor where I began dancing as music flowed by my veins. He soon smiled and began dancing with me.

I was really happy of feeling alive again. As when I was at England and I could sneak out of the hotel, wear my normal clothes and go to any disco and common places as another girl. I loved feeling alive and free, and I was beginning to achieve it by myself.

"Isa, I'm going for another drink." Shin said smiling.

"Oh…" I said joking as if I were disappointed. "Don't take too long!"

He then left, but then Ren came and took Shin's place.

"Ren." I said keeping on dancing.

"Hey." He said smiling. "Nice to see you are alive. What are you doing here?"

"Same as you." I said smiling. "That's also my party."

"I have seen Blast have a new disk. Didn't thought it was you." He said joking.

That song ended and they began playing Latino's rhythms. I then smiled wider and went on a casual yet self-confident way.

"Do you dare to dance this?" I asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He said looking to a side. "But I think I can dance a bit with you." He added smiling.

We then began dancing a bit. Luckily Nana had left for the toilet or who knows where, but the rest were looking at the people at the dance floor.

Ren danced that song with me it was Salsa, so he danced it more or less well. The problem was when the song changed for a Tango. People stopped dancing it, and Ren said he didn't know how to dance it. So I was to leave alone on the dance floor. Then Takumi, the mysterious Takumi who had not went out of his room too much on the hotel where I met the rest but for eating away and going to the concerts, appeared on Ren's back.

"I'll dance this." He said putting his hand over Ren's shoulder, and then he looked at me. "Do you mind changing dance couple?"

He had a cold look and on the same time made me nervous on a good and pleasant way. As if he was a dangerous fire.

"Of course I don't care." I said outstretching my hand for him taking it.

He took my hand and we went to the dance floor. It was funny to be dancing that kind of dance with him who was a perfect estranger for me and a rival. Anyway, we danced together, the only ones on the dance floor.

I knew what the name of his band meant: Trap and Nest. A nest that trapped you inside, but I was a frozen rose who would never be trapped inside a nest.

I could see his eyes while we danced; they were cold, as my heart. Bad combination for such a dance, but he was fire and I was also fire when I wanted to. So we danced as if we were a real couple. With passion and love, cause that meant Tango.

When the music ended I was a few inches from the floor, held by his arms and he was looking at me. He lifted me up while people clapped.

"You dance good." He said.

"Same goes for you." I added.

It was true; he was really good at it. So good that he had managed to make me feel as if we were really in love, but my heart was cold and his was caged with matrimony. I had seen a gold ring on his finger. I'm not silly. I would never take guy going out with another girlfriend, and of course, never ever a married one.

I went to sit with the rest. Naoki and Ren had joined us, and my cousin Shin was chatting with Reira a chair further than the rest.

"Where's Nana?" I asked.

"She left." Nobu said. "Said something about having to work tomorrow."

"She doesn't want to be next to me." Ren said.

"Have you chatted?" I asked. "Put your hearts on the table?"

They then looked at me weird. Perhaps I had put my feet in it.

"Put a heat over the table?" Nobu said.

"I mean speak freely and sincerely." I explained.

"Yes." Ren said.

He told me about while some disco rhythms went on again. We chatted and then they began playing another Latino's again.

"Nobu, want to try?" I asked holding out my hand with a smile.

"She would teach you well." Takumi said softly. "She is pure fire."

Nobu went a bit angry, but I was pulling from him to the dance floor.

There I told him how to dance tango and then when the song ended "Roxanne Tango" began sounding.

"Just do as if you loved me." I told him. "Is as a passion fight between two lovers."

He went a bit shy at the beginning, but as I was forcing things up, he began going more natural till he did it well, more or less.

When we ended and returned to the bar with the rest, Ren was laughing and began joking at Nobu.

He just went red and tried to stop the jokes.

"Ok, Ren." Shin said "Stop it."

"Why don't we have a go at the bottle game?" Ren then suggested.

"That's kids' game!" Takumi said.

"Yep!!" Naoki and Reira said as if they were little kids.

"Isa, wanna join?" Shin asked me.

"Nobu will also play." Ren said playfully.

"Don't speak for me!!" Nobu said appearing bothered.

"It's ok." I said. "Long since I last played it. Count me too."

Then we took a beer bottle and began playing it on a corner. Reira, Ren, Shin, Nobu, Naoki and me.

"And what if it is a guy kissing a guy?" Naoki said.

"Also kiss." I said.

Reira clapped at my idea, I think she got also fun with it.

After some goes, she and me had kissed nearly all of the guys. I must admit, that from all, Shin was the best sharing first place with Ren. I still had not kissed Nobu, but then he threw the bottle and then…

"Isa!!" Reira said laughing. "You have to kiss her!"

"Watch out!" Ren said joking. "You could get addicted to her!"

"C'mon, don't pull his leg." I said smiling. "I don't bite."

He got near and kissed me shyly making the rest laugh.

The next time, I managed to make the bottle point him and the rest began joking again.

I kissed him and he went pink again.

The second time someone had to kiss someone they had to make the rest gasp.

When it came Ren's turn, he had to kiss Naoki and they faked as if they were hot, making us laugh.

Then Reira and Shin, which I think was not so faked, and then again me and Nobu.

I then smiled sexily as I sat over him on a sexy way making he go a bit red, I surrounded his neck with my arms and then I kissed him putting my tongue in his mouth looking to play with his.

Our partners went astonished and Ren began laughing when I stopped and he was really red.

"I think that's enough for today." Yasu said coming with Mr. Gimpei to save Nobu.

"You have to rest for tomorrow." Mr. Gimpei added to Yasu's words.

That was the end of the fun; we were taken to the hotel.

Nobu was red and silent all the way to there and when we arrived we caged ourselves in our rooms till I managed to sneak and go to my cousin's one.

"Aren't you still sleeping?" he asked me.

"Obviously not." I said smiling. "Can I get in?"

"You are beginning to turn into a little Lolita." He said joking as he stepped aside to allow me get in where Nobu was also there. "Nobu is a bit drunk."

"Poor thing…" I said. "He went really red when I kissed him."

"Anyone would have gone the same." Shin said lighting his cig. "I didn't remember that bitchy face of you."

"There are some things about me that you can't remember dear." I said softly putting my jacket over Nobu.

"You are beginning to like him, am I mistaken?" Shin then said.

"Perhaps." I said turning to him.

"It's normal." He said closing his eyes. "He is a good guy; just make sure you don't hurt him."

"I would never hurt him." I said. "Before all, he is my friend. And I have told you PERHAPS and just perhaps."

"Why do you always say so?" he then asked looking at me.

Nobu just woke up looking to the jacked I have laid over him and seeing I was giving him the back facing Shin.

"You know how people called me on my place…" I told him standing up sadly and looking to a side.

"Rose." He said. "Cause you are beautiful, valuable and elegant."

"Frozen Rose." I said softly looking down. "Cause my heart is cold as ice."

"Then let me heat your heat." Nobu said at my back.

Shin was smoking his cig and smiled looking down closing his eyes.

Nobu was now hugging me by the back.

Perhaps he was drunk; perhaps he would not remember anything the following day. But I didn't care at all. I allowed him to hug me.

"I'll sleep on your bedroom today, Isa." Shin said standing up and opening.

I nodded while Nobu still hugged me.

That night had been a bit moved.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Revolution news.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

Again I have wake up late. I was lying on my cousin's bed and Nobu was sleeping at the sofa next to the bed. We had not done anything weird on the night, but I was sure that if he had not been drunk we could have done something else than kissing. But he was fair. He didn't want to do it when he was drunk so he gave her the bed and he took the sofa.

I would have loved to have a guy like him from the beginning. He was certainly a good guy despite of being a hard looking one. In fact, I think he was tender inside, and that I was the hard one on the couple.

When I woke up he was still sleeping, I smiled as I saw him so angelical sleeping on the sofa. I'm not the kind of woman that is strong showing outside, I have not developed muscles but I certainly have strength. I have won lot of guys on fair fights and even more on unfair fights. But always that a fight took place and I returned wounded home, my family took great care on the matter not going out on press.

Anyway, it was pretty easy for me to hold Nobu carefully at my arms and put him in the bed. After making sure he was ok and well covered with the sheets and blanket I went out.

I walked to my bedroom where Shin was supposed to be, but he was not there. Instead he had left a note.

"I'm down with Yasu and Mr. Gimpei for breakfast. Misato is also down with us.

Don't worry, I already settle things up for you not being disturbed.

Shin."

Then he had draw himself winking and making a "Victory" sign.

I held my laugh while smiling. Those guys were certainly mad, but they were the most similar to friends I have ever had. Taking care of me and treating me as if I was a normal girl, always protecting me and trying to make me happy… L-O-V-E-L-Y.

I quickly wrote another note saying I was going to have some relax and took some things to get in the toilet to change myself and go down.

**Nobu Part.**

When I woke up I was on the bed. I didn't remember what I did yesterday night. But then I suddenly remembered a bottle spinning on the ground. We playing to kiss each others with Trapnes and then… she was sitting over my lap and… It couldn't be!! It was just all a dream!! I must have dreamed about it.

Then I noticed a bra on the ground. But it was Shin's room!

I quickly ran to Isa's room to ask her about all the matter. Empty. She was not there. Anyway, I saw a pair of notes, one over the other.

I read both, Shin was down with Yasu and Gimpei-sama and she was relaxing. But where?!!

I then put on something else and ran down to the restaurant to try to ask the rest. Perhaps she was already there…

"Shin!" I said when I arrived to them. "She is disappeared! Your cousin left!"

"What are you saying?" Yasu said.

Gimpei-sama just went nervous in case she had run away the hotel and reporters were chasing her.

"How do you know she is gone?" Yasu then asked me.

"This." I said showing him the note.

"I'm going to have a bit of relax. Then I'll have little breakfast and see you all around.

Isa"

Again that little draw of herself as a manga heroine that Shin, Nobu or Hachi used to do with the signature.

"What does she mean with relax?" Gimpei-sama asked then a bit worried.

"Don't worry." Shin said smiling as he took a cig and his lighter. "She have not left the place."

"What?" Gimpei-sama and I asked at once.

"I don't think she is the kind of girl who would run away from here without telling any of us first to cover her." Yasu said softly.

"She would run from here and even Alcatraz if she was feeling caged." Shin said smiling. "But she has no need to ran from here to relax. Anyway, if you are so worried, why don't you check her favourite relax place?"

**Misato's Part.**

"Isa-sama!" I called the red haired girl. "Isa-sama! Please, come out! Yasu-san and Gimpei-sama should be worried for you right now!"

I was just going out of the toilet when I saw her from behind the crystal panes surrounding the area so I run in the area when I saw it was her who people was looking at.

"Just a bit more!" she said happily at me. "This is really relaxing!"

She keep on going and coming once and again, pretty fast indeed, but that was not a normal thing for a singer to do.

"Isa-sama, please!!" she said begging.

"Don't call me Sama, please." She said stopping a second in front of me. "That makes me feel weird."

Then she kept on going and coming again.

**Shin's Part.**

"You have sold same million CDs than Trapnes and the concerts were both sold out on the same little time." Gimpei told us. "This is really as if both bands were competing one against the other. And the worse is no one knows how this is going to end."

"They stole some things from us." I said softly. "I have no pity if they are sent to the dumpsters."

"Shin." Yasu told me serious.

"The thing is that this will bring you problems." Gimpei said softly. "And for Isabel… I hope her past is clean because they are going to begin looking into her life trying to find anything polemic about her."

"Gimpei." Yasu then said. "She comes from a really good rich family. They would never allow any stain at their lives. If there was one, be sure they would have cleaned it before it came to light."

"It would be likely from our family, yes." I said. "But you know… if anyone still remembers it… she could suffer."

"She doesn't seem as if she would." Gimpei said. "Just remember about yesterday night…"

"Despite of all you can think for her acting… she still has a heart, and can be easily wounded if you know what to hurt her with."

"And you know?" Gimpei said.

"I know the kind of girls she is." I said. "And she is easy to hurt with a really simple thing. Her strength can be her best point and her worst one."

Yasu and Mr. Gimpei looked at each other. Suddenly Yasu seemed to understand a bit, but not all.

"What are you speaking about?" Gimpei asked.

"Nana was our princess, a _broken rose_ as she sang." Shin said putting his cig off on a waiter requirement of it. "And my cousin is a _frozen rose_, as some people knowing her defined her. Cause inside herself she has a frozen armour really hard to get through. It protects her, but it's also her great weakness."

**Nobu's Part.**

I was running towards the place I have been told in the reception Shin told me she would be. I couldn't believe he was being serious. But when I reached the crystal panes surrounding the indoors swimming pool and I saw some of the staff and people looking inside where Misato was near the pool edge appearing to be calling the swimming "siren" inside the water, I went astonished.

"Have you never seen anyone swimming before?" I asked them.

Then they began moving again and I went in the swimming pool area.

"Isa, please!!" Misato was calling her.

"Hey, Isa." I called her then. "Could you get out please? People were looking at you as if you were a spectacle."

She then stopped on the middle of the pool to look at me.

"Oh, hi." She said smiling softly again. "Did you got a nice night?"

"Er… I can't remember much." I then said. "Could you please do as Misato tells you and get out of the water to dry yourself?"

"Ok…" she said a bit deceived. "Men… you are certainly a bit shy."

"Shy?" I asked going red as she was wearing a two pieces swimming suit, a sexy one I mean. She noticed it because she looked down at it before looking back at me again.

"You seem to have certain shyness on seeing me relaxing a bit on the less harmful way." She then said softly looking to both Misato and me and then to a side of us.  
I then noticed people were beginning to look again.

She certainly remembered me on Nana, my friend and Nana, my ex-girlfriend. But one the same time, Reira, who once was one of my fantasies.

She was certainly all I could never dream of being, sharp, sexy, strong inside and outside… a good singer and terribly sexy and beautiful. A mix between diva, dream, fighter and woman. A cute mix in fact.

But on the same time, she seemed to have a cold side, a frozen side in fact. As if she could burn any men she aimed at, but not with fire but with ice. That burning sensation you get with ice. A frozen rose.

**Shin's Part.**

"What are you speaking about?" Gimpei asked.

"Nana was our princess, a _broken rose_ as she sang." Shin said putting his cig off on a waiter requirement of it. "And my cousin is a _frozen rose_, as some people knowing her defined her. Cause inside herself she has a frozen armour really hard to get through. It protects her, but it's also her great weakness."

"_Frozen rose_?" someone asked on their backs with a foreign accent on his voice. "Is she around here?"

We turned to see a brownish blond guy sitting on the table next to our also with some great company. A nice Japanese model and who was supposed to be a mode agent, probably from outside too cause of his intense sunbath.

"Who are you and what do you know our friend of?" I asked him.

"Who am I, doesn't matter if you don't already know me." He said. "About her… I know pretty much, perhaps more than what you can know."

I was about standing up and began arguing with him, but Yasu was faster.

"What does such a man as you know our Isa?" he asked him.

It appeared that he knew him, but it was mysterious what for or when.

"Tell me what you want to know and perhaps I can tell you about." The guy said turning around.

He was really handsome but obviously not Japanese. He had really blue eyes that looked as Nordic. Perhaps Russian, but considering his accent… not such nationality. He could be an actor, but… No! I remembered he had made some advertisement for expensive products.

"Has she got into troubles again?" he said.

"She could." Gimpei said astonished by the guy. "If press and media find out something dark about her past."

"I see…" the guy said looking around. "I don't like speaking in restaurants. But I doubt anyone could find anything stinky on her past cause of her family fame and name."

"So there's something bad." I asked him.

"My lips are sealed." The man said smiling.

Then the man having breakfast with him and the girl told him something on what looked as Italian, none of us could understand their chat.

"Ok, if you see her tell her Rocky misses her." He said as they stood up. "Ah, and tell her that 'Topogigo' would be spending some days at Tokyo. Same number. Will you little guy?" he said patting my head softly.

"I'm not a kid." I said taking his hand softly away of me. "But yes, I'll tell her."

"Good." He said smiling as he wrote down something and handed it to Yasu. "Some info for her friends. See you around!"

Then he left with the rest.

"I can't believe I have met him!!" Gimpei said happily as if he was a teen girl.

Yasu had opened the paper and read it, and then he handed it to me.

"She is really a strong woman in both physically and emotionally ways. But she is also really tender and easy to hurt.

Please, take care of her. Don't allow press to get too much in her past." I read.

It was funny, but it just confirmed what I was thinking. I didn't know my cousin too well, but I could see some things on her that perhaps the rest didn't saw.

Anyway, after a bit, Nobu and Isa came after Misato. I then saw something and smiled.

Nobu put her chair away to help her sitting and then he sat on his seat.

"Did you relax?" Gimpei said.

"Yes, but it was too hot." She said. "I prefer a bit cooler one."

That made him and Yasu go confused and so I laughed. That made then even confused.

After a while, I remembered the message I was told to tell her so when Gimpei ended explaining us about the new plans, I holded her forearm to call for her attention.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"There was a guy sitting behind us before." He told me.

"Did you know him?" I asked them.

"No, yet his face rang me a bell." He said serious. "He asked me to tell you that Rocky misses you and that 'Topogigo' would be spending some days at Tokyo. Same number."

"Topogigo is here?" I asked shocked as I knew what he meant with that. "It can't be!"

"You know that thing?" he asked.

"Yes, 'Topogigo' is the nick name a model and me used to refer him self when we didn't wanted to be overheard. And Rocky… I'm willing to see him again!!!"

**Nobu's Part.**

I couldn't help over hearing Shin and Isa's chat. Now that I managed to get her trust and "love" there was something bad appearing to get in the middle. Who the hell were those Topogigo and Rocky? Why did she wanted so mad to see the Rocky guy?


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The golden mouse, the doggy.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

That same day, after a little gap on our daily train on the hotel gym, I caught my mobile phone and phoned an old number I used to use a lot long ago and that, even after having deleted it from the phone agenda was still in my mind. The phone rang a bit, and then a woman caught it.

"Kitty?" the woman said. "I'm sorry miss, but… Renato is working at the moment."

"Ok, I understand it." I said smiling not aware I was being overheard by Nobu "Just tell him I phoned, right?"

"Oh… ok." She said softly. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry." I said smiling. "I know he is busy. Just tell him I have called. Ok? Bye!"

Then I hung down. Still smiling I put the phone back in my pocket and returned to the gym smiling.

"Good news?" Mr. Gimpei asked as he walked on the running band.

"Gimpei, walking doesn't burn any calories." I said smiling while clicking on the fastening bottom to make him run a bit slowly.

"Don't put it so fast!" he said nearly crying as Shin laughed.

"Shin, feel like a bit of extra-training?" I asked him.

"Oh, no." he said looking at me and seeing the phone at my pocket. "You are angry."

"Please…." I begged him.

"Gimpei, could you allow her to get out with someone?" Shin asked him.

It seems he had still not forgot about the last time we met, or perhaps… he had heard about the last time my name came to light for something dark.

"No!" he said. "No, no and NO!"

"Then you practice with her." Shin said. "And you are strong."

"Wanna have a try?" I said warming and outstretching my arms and legs.

"You are stronger than her." Shin said. "As long as you control yourself you will not harm her."

"You mean… fighting?" Gimpei asked.

"Sure." I said sending him a fist hit to help him beginning.

He didn't seem to catch the indirect so I sent him another punch this time I nearly hit him.

Then he seemed to react.

"Ok, I am your sparring but if you agree to answer some of our questions." He said getting to defence position.

"If you win…" I said smiling.

"As we fight." He said.

"Try." I admitted.

Then I threw him another hit, this time he ducked it.

"What do you know that supermodel of?" he asked.

"Beep." I said buzzing. "I'm not answering." I said hitting him on his arm.

"Ouch." He said rubbing his shoulder and then looking at me.

**Gimpei's Part.**

It was amazing, I was fighting a young miss, littler and weaker than me in appearance. Anyway, it seemed as if she was controlling herself when she missed me before. Now, when she hit me it even hurt.

How could she have such strength? Anyway, she didn't stop there.

"Why did he know you so well?" I asked her.

"We are somehow friends." She answered me when she was missed by inches one of my hits.

She then threw another hit and hit my leg fully. Again hurt a bit.

"In love?" Shin asked.

"No answer." She said hitting me again.

"And Ren and Takumi?" Nobu asked her.

"Friends also." She answered throwing me another hit I managed to avoid for inches.

"And friends dance as hot as Takumi did yesterday?" Nobu asked.

She was now a bit angry and so did she intensify the hits.

"Nobu!" I told him. "Stop making her angry!"

"Why should I be angry?" she said hitting me slightly for hundredth time. "Cause he is jealous for a little dance? Nonsense."

Perhaps she thought it was nonsense, but she was intensifying the hits and strength on them.

"Don't you get tired of all this?" I asked her.

"Where did you learned to dance like that?" Shin asked her.

"No, I'm not tired of this." She said hitting me slightly again. "And you should know that just cause of my family position doesn't mean I'm the good girl everyone can think about me."

Then her mobile phone began ringing again. She jumped away as she took the phone, stops and stood up as picking her phone up.

"I'm killing you Topogigo." She said.

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"I'm killing you _Topogigo_." I said.

"You keep being as stingy as always, babe." He said.

"You keep being on the same work in love guy than always." I said smiling as I dried my face a bit.

"Well…" he said. "You know me, I can't say no to a good work. I suppose you have not missed me much. I saw your friends and your new work. Singer, isn't it?"

"Yes, singer for my cousin's band." I said.

"The _raggatzo_?" he asked. "He is a _picolinno_!"

"Don't call him that." I said. "He needs not me to protect him. Anyway… when could I see my little one?"

"Your little one, your little one… Haven't you missed me the slightless?!"

"Just a bit." I recognised smiling. "I must admit you always managed to make me smile. But I have missed my little one more."

"Oh, ok." He said joking. "Your little one and I will be waiting for you on the park near the hotel."

"I'll be there." I said. "But I'd rather you brought him here. You know… I can't get out here."

"And I can't take him into the hotel either." He said.

While I was speaking on the phone, a man from the hotel staff came to the gym, Mr. Gimpei was the one speaking to him fast in Japanese, and then he tapped on my shoulder softly.

"Reny, can you wait a second please?" she said, and then she covered the phone with her hand. "What's up Mr. Gimpei?"

"There's some problems." He said worried and nervous. "You are in trouble."

"Ren, sorry. I'll call you later." I told him softly.

"Don't worry _cara_." He said. "I'll call you later then."

"Ciao." I told him sending some kisses before hanging the phone down. "Mr. Gimpei, what's up?"

**Nobu's Part.**

It was funny, cause Isa was called a taxi and Yasu and she were made to leave while Shin and I were left there.

They didn't return in a long while, if fact we were about having dinner at the hotel dinning room when they came back. First Yasu and after a while her.

"Hey, Yasu." I asked. "What was wrong?"

"Tough matter." He said. "Really difficult…"

"What's so bad?" Shin asked him. "Where's her?"

"Upstairs, she is coming soon." Yasu said. "She has had some… family problems."

"Is her father ill?!" Shin asked worried and surprised.

"No, no." Yasu said. "It's… a far relative of hers and not you… well, disappeared so she has been…"

"Sorry." She said sitting down softly on a chair. "I was a bit… busy. Mr. Gimpei, is it possible I get out daily from seven to half past eight in the morning and from two to three in the afternoon?"

"What for?" He said.

"I have… new duties." She said removing a lock of hair from her face.

"Where is him?" Yasu said.

"Coming." Isa said as she saw a little guy coming from the toilet. "Alex, over here." She said smiling. "Did you clean your hands?"

"Yes." He said softly as she patted on the chair next to her.

"Alex, this is Mr. Gimpei, my boss; Nobu, a friend; Shin is my cousin and… I think you already know Yasu." She said.

Could it be she had a son? I couldn't believe it! She didn't seem so old! But… I would understand she had him.

"Hey!" Shin said smiling. "You are such a big guy!"

"Hi, Alex." I said a bit shocked.

He waved at us a bit shocked.

"Alex." Yasu said. "Why don't you go with Shin and choose something for dinner?"

"Ah, Shin. Could you bring me a salad and a bit of meat?" Isa said. "If possible chicken, please."

"Sure!" Shin said smiling as he held his hand out for the little guy.

He stood up and walked next to him, holding to one of his belts.

"Is he your…?" I asked embarrassed.

"He is a relative." She said. "His mother has disappeared so as I am now living here all the family have settled me as his guardian."

I suddenly felt released. He was not his son, but a far relative. That meant… she had not cheated me by not speaking me about children or being married on a past.

When Shin returned with the little kid he was smiling as he held his hand. I couldn't understand how he managed to get all the people's trust and smiles so easily. But he had managed to get the kid's smile out in just… a minute and half.

"Sorry, Alex." I told the kid. "I was caught unaware. I… Hey, if you have any question or problem or anything just ask me, right?" I said smiling.

"Uncle Shin has helped me getting double dessert!" he said smiling as he showed us two pieces of cake.

After having dinner, we went back to rooming area; Isa went out of her room carrying two towels.

"Are you going to have another bath?" I asked her.

"I'm going to bath Alex." She said smiling. "He says I'm like an elder sister."

WHAT??!!! Was that kid going to see her naked?!! And she was even smiling at the idea of it all!!

"Don't worry, I'll bath him." I said softly. "After all, I was about doing it too."

It was funny, cause she agreed smiling. It seemed as if she was happy with everything.

And the kid was also funny, he seemed shy, but when we got in the water he began playing as the little kid he was.

I had some problems to bath him, but he soon seemed to feel well towards me too and began playing with me.

When I managed to dry him up I put him into what Isa had given me to change him into after the bath, we got to the room where Shin and her were chatting serious, but when we got in, they stopped and began smiling. Soon she was left to make the little one sleep.

"I don't understand why she has been given this mess." I then said.

"She is the only one who could take care of him now." Shin said sitting down at his bed and beginning to write down some notes into his songs notebook. "And I personally like the mother kind women." He said smiling as joking.

I first thought he was referring to love, but then I noticed he was referring to sex.

"You are a pervert!" I then shouted.

"Don't deny you'd love to make her pregnant to marry her…" he said smiling.

"Shin!!" I said.

"I was only joking; I know you would never do that on a woman." He said smiling. "But that would be a good strategy for keeping her for yourself."

I then threw him a pillow, he was just joking or so I supposed. But that was something really strong to say, even to a friend.

"Hey, you are boisterous." She said returning after a while. "He is sleeping." She said smiling then.

"Which room?" Shin asked her.

"Mine, of course." She said. "I'm not going to leave him our your room cause he is from my family. And Shin… who knows what are you going to teach him? I have heard women getting to your room."

"I'm not so evil!" he said softly.

"I thought you were sleeping with me." I said softly.

"Sorry… I can spend some time with you, but… understand it…" she said holding my hand softly.

She really looked a bit sad of not spending the whole night with me, so I sighed.

"Ok, go with him." I said trying to smile. "Sleeping together is not the most important thing for me…"

She then smiled at me and kissed me long and deep while she closed her eyes and shin smiled too.

"You can spend some more time here with him." He said then smiling as he put his cig off. "I'll get to your room and take some care of him for a while. Take your time!"

He left, I thought she would be happy, but she just smiled at me.

"So… the little guy is family?" I asked.

"Yes, so it's not as if it was my little brother." She told me smiling as she sat down on the bed. "I hope you are not jealous." She said as tempting me.

"Well, he is going to sleep with you instead of me…" I said answering to her temptation and sitting next to her.

We then looked at each other smiling, and then we kissed again. After that one, came another and then another. Things then began rolling till half an hour later that she put her gown on again and left to get to her bed and rest.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Hurt hearts, funny questions.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

It's now about a month. _Topogigo_ has left and I am still taking care of my cousin. I have to take him to his nursery every morning and he seems a bit… weird too. I sometimes think he sees me as his mother and some others that he sees me as his girlfriend. Nobu has told me some times. He is beginning to go jealous of him.

In fact, the relationship I had with Nobu has gone a bit cold lately. In exchange, I have begun to meet Ren more often. Takumi is busy with his wife and son, and Reira seems to have more than enough with my cousin. Yes, I know they are dating on hotels as they can't be seen on public together. I don't mind they do. As long as they don't get into a public scandal.

Nobu has to work hard, and as I'm the econimician of Gaia records, one at least, the one in charge of taking care of Trapnes and Blast, I have less work lately so I can get out early and have the mornings free so Ren and me just met at public places.

I can change appearance easily, so sometimes I just wear a hooded sleeveless sweater over a top with punk jeans or something like that. So even if paparazzi followed us, they would not be able to take a good photo of us together. I take great care of it as Ren seems not to take any care about _paparaquios_.

Sometimes we just appoint to meet at a concrete place such as a park or just a pub. And lot of times Naoki also comes.

He seems to be quite nice, also likeable to be like a little child in spite of an elder than me guy. Anyway, he is also nice. Funny and nice. Ren is also nice, but he is still in love with someone else: Nana Oosaki.

Anyway, I get lot of fun when we flirt among us. It's really funny how much effort they can put on flirting with me.

And I also get some fun by flirting with them. But when I feel the best is when we speak freely, as if there were not two bands but just one.

They have told me about Takumi's meanly of wanting them to be the best. They do it cause they like the status they have or for Leila. But they didn't want to be enemies with Blast members...

"And what are you doing it for?" Naoki asked me once.

I took my time to answer. They were being sincere with me, so I didn't want to lie them. Furthermore, I had still never thought about why I was singing on a band. I just did it.

Was it for fun? Was it cause I wanted the money I was getting from it? Perhaps I wanted the success and glory?

"It's a bit difficult in my case." I finally recognised raising my sight from the bottom of my half full glass. "I want to help my friends, I don't need the money singing gives me, I don't need the success or the status it can give me." I said.

They were looking at me with great interest and also a bit surprised on my answer.

"Perhaps it's just I want to probe myself I have chosen the good path, or just to probe myself I'm valuable. That's all what I can answer."

Then I took another sip of my beer, I asked for something stronger then and they served us a bottle of whisky, I stand it better than shake, yet I stand it very good.

They still looked at me with surprise. Ren was the first one on reacting, he smiled mildly. I suppose they didn't wanted to hear that answer. Perhaps they wanted a shorter and easier one. But if they wanted the truth, then that was what I had for them.

Then they have also helped me taking a bit of care of Alex. Ren owns a good car so he has sometimes take me to pick Alex up from his nursery. He has got used to all my friends and he is now a bit more open to them.

On the afternoons I work for Gaia Company, so Alex is usually there with me. The rest of the staff and some musicians are already used to seeing him around and now they don't mind him.

In fact, sometimes, Misato or another person working for Blast takes him to a little time on a near park. What can I say? My family is now a bit short of women who could take care of a little guy. Last week I got a letter from his nursery, after a voting, the time at the school has been settled longer so he will have to stay there till about seven in the night. That would allow me having more time for myself. Anyway, yesterday I got another one from my family. They have told me my father will come to take Alex to a boarding school where he will spend night at to just get out at weekends. I have told my friends and they have offered to help me, Yasu even tried to speak with my family, but he managed nothing. Tomorrow Alex will have to get to the new school and we will be separated. When that moment came, I was given a day off to take him to the new school, and Shin, Nobu, Yasu and Ren came with me. I know it can be weird to see a girl just surrounded by men in every moment, but I don't care; in fact, I think they are better than women. Different but somehow more suitable for me than women.

The moment I saw Alex being carried in the school while he cried shouting he wanted to come with me I did my best for holding tears and finally Ren and Yasu had to hold my shoulders to prevent me running to release him and taking him back.

The same moment the gates were close again and I was make to get in the car again was the moment I went down and went sad. I had been faking a false smile to make Alex think everything was alright even when I wanted to get him back to me.

"There was nothing you could do." Yasu told me while Ren drove.

"Yeah, you could not take care of him and work on the same time." Shin said sadly to see me so down.

"But he was under my care." I said softly. "And I don't like the idea of such a little guy being on such a depressing place…"

It was true, as I had spend lot of time on my teens on the best boarding school in all Europe cause my father wanted me to be the best of the best, I knew how lonely a person could feel in that kind of places. And how lonely I would feel now he was not going to sleep any longer with me.

"You have done the best." Ren said. "You are not his mother, and even if he saw you like that, a mother that can't take care of him the 24 hours a day is not very good."

That made me go a bit serious again, I have heard he was orphan, grew up on an orphanage and the streets. Perhaps he was right.

"Don't mind him." Nobu said after him and shin telling him off for his hard words. "He is just angry against his family for his past."

"Believe me; you have done the best for him." Ren said. "And you are going to see him all the weekends, aren't you? Five days pass soon. Before you can realise on it, he will be there with you again."

It was funny, even him on his way was trying to make me feel a bit better.

"If I had a mother I would love her to be like you." Naoki said.

"You have a mother!!" Ren and Yasu told him high.

That made me smile, so the guys smiled slightly too.

Finally Ren parked his car just under my last flat. Thanks to the money I was earning from CD selling, concerting… and my diary work, I had finally managed to buy my own flat next to Nobu and Shin's one. My own home in Tokyo. Four bedrooms, a livingroom, a kitchen and a big bathroom. A very big flat I have also bought thanks to my father, but I had sworn to pay even the last cent to him with my own work money. He had agreed to pay it for me when he saw I was working as econimician for a great and worldwide music firm. Despite of still keep on growling for not working on the family business.

The building was big, new and with good safety measures such as a strong man guarding the building door 24 hours a day, well, three men in fact with 8 hours work a day. When my friends parked the car at the parking, and we got in the lobby their jaws fell down.

"Was it the first time you got here?" I asked.

It was now about a week since I moved there, so I was not sure about if any of them had came here.

"I thought you were taking your new flat on a less… luxurious area." Yasu said.

"Yep, but it was not me who chose it." I said. "I chose it, true. But it was my father who paid for it so the security system on the building was checked by him."

"So you have kept on accepting charity from family, hum?" Shin asked.

"A good warrior knows exactly when to ask for help." I said opening my flat security door. "Translated, I have not accepted any charity, he paid for part of the flat and I'll be returning his money when I earn it."

"This will take you quite a bit." Yasu told me.

"Don't take it for granted." I said smiling. "I could pay him now, but he said he don't want any money coming from music. So I will end up paying for this with this month payment from Gaia Music for my work as econimician."

Naoki had began running along all the flat letting out joy shouts, Shin and Nobu were walking around astonished and enjoying the sights.

Ren had sat down at the livingroom and Yasu was sitting next to him. I handed them the ashtray so they could smoke if they wanted.

"Do you want to stay for meal? I still have some meal at the fridge." I said looking in the fridge. "I was so worried yesterday that I couldn't cook the right quantity."

"I stay if you don't mind." Naoki said doing a sexy pose making Ren laugh and Yasu told him off.

"If you don't mind I stay too." Nobu said coming to give a hand with the dishes to set the table. "I have not to got to work till later."

"I will stay too." Shin said smiling while he began taking glasses to lay the table too.

"The rest?" I asked.

Finally all decided to stay. Yasu didn't went to work either till late and Naoki and Ren had nothing else to do as they were on a relax time now they had ended their tour as Takumi wanted to spend some days at his home with his wife and son.

We had meal while we joked, Nobu said that remember him on the times their two Nana friends lived together on a hired flat, before Trapnes took Hachi away from them.

That moment, everyone but Naoki who seemed not to know anything about it all went silent and we could just heard Naoki who appeared to be on his own world.

We kept on drinking and partying till late, Nobu left for his work, Yasu too; but the rest stayed. They came back for dinner and we kept on partying till really late in the night.

Funnily that time I went a bit drunk.

**Ren Part.**

It's funny. When Yasu told me yesterday about Isa's situation with her 'child' I had no doubt to help her. After leaving him at his new school that remained me to a luxurious prison, she seemed to go down as soon as he was lost of sight. It was funny; she seemed to be happy before the kid left. She always wore a smiling face, appearing to stand everything and keeping her tender side for the time she would be alone. I have heard her crying on a toilet when I suppose she was given the news about her having to take the kid to that place. Yet then I didn't know it was that what made her cry.

Sometimes she remained me to myself. I always appeared to be strong, that was the face I had to give, but I cried like a little child when Nana and me broke our relationship.

When she invited us to stay for meal I had no doubt on staying too, and we began partying with meal, we kept on drinking for hours, till late night. Just stopping for playing poker and Mah-Jongg. She was terribly good at it, but she was drinking too much that night. None of us could understand how she could stand so much alcohol without reaching coma. Anyway, that was translated into getting drunk. I have never seen her drunk since we met, and for how the rest looked at her and reacted when she began laughing for nothing nor have them.

Soon she went a bit sleepy and sad and began speaking of private things.

"I am not brave." She said after having told us lot of things about her past. "I have ran from my family cause I couldn't stand my father deciding all about my life. Then I ran from my last work cause I didn't felt like standing that… and now I can't even take care of a little child… I would never be a good wife…"

Wife, she had still not reached the top part of her singer career and she was thinking on marrying? It was something tender.

"C'mon, you would be a good wife." I told her softly.

"You can cook, clean and it's obvious you have good decoration sense." Naoki said. "I'd kill to get a woman like you fall for me."

"But no one loves a girl like me." She said laying her head over her arms at the table where we had been playing cards and drinking and smoking. "A girl that can't stay alone for much, that can defend herself and wins men on combat… you all want a delicate girl that you can protect."

It was not true, Nana was not so weak and need of protection and I had loved her most in the world. And what about Nobu? It was clear he felt something else than friendship for her now…

"I disagree with you." I told her. "Is not…"

"Not all the men like that kind of women!" Nobu said fast making us go shocked. "I mean… we don't always look for a woman to protect." He said going red before taking a long sip of beer.

"Isa, you are drunk." Yasu said. "You'd better get in your bed."

"I'm ok!" she said softly taking another glass of a strong alcohol smelling liquid. "I can drink thousand times this amount of alcohol."

Shin quickly took a glass of her mysterious liquid bottle and when he had a sip he coughed.

"What's that Shin?" I asked him.

I knew he stood alcohol really well, so it was weird to hear him cough after drinking.

"That's strong!" he said taking another drink of it to cough again.

Then Yasu took the bottle and smelled the containing and I took Shin's glass to take a long drink. I immediately began coughing. Whatever it was it was strong!

"Yuk!!" I said. "What the hell is this? Pure alcohol?"

"Black vozka not distilled." She said smiling as she took another little glass on one swallow.

She was about taking another one when Yasu took the bottle after she served herself. She then thought she had lost it, she looked under the table after checking it was not on it.

"Ah." I said trying to make her stop looking for it. "No vozka left!"

"Oh… I think there was another one left." She said standing up.

"You don't need it." Shin said holding her wrist. "I think that all you need is to go and sleep for a while, hum?"

She seemed to doubt a bit, and then she got free herself and sat down again.

"I'm not tired." She said as she sat down.

She then fell silent for a second.

"Wanna any of you to spend the night here?" she asked then surprising us. "There are some other beds and this place is a bit big for me."

"I think that if I can make a little phone call I could stay here." Shin said smiling. "But just if you are a good girl and go to have a shower."

"A hot bath would be better." Nobu said.

"Ok, come with me." She said standing up and holding his wrist

Then we began laughing and Nobu went red, redder than a tomato.

"It's ok Nobu." Shin said smiling as he put off the ashes of his cig with soft touches. "You can have a bath with her. Even when she is drunk she knows what she is doing."

"But I don't want to take advantage of the situation!" Nobu said.

Then she turned to him, held his face and kissed him deep.

"C'mon." she said smiling. "You have to see how big the tube is! Come!!"

She managed to pull from him till the bathroom while Shin held his laugh. And when they disappeared behind the bathroom door we began laughing.

"Man!" I said laughing freely. "She is worse than Nana when she was drunk!"

"Are you sure she is ok?" Naoki said smiling in fun after he heard Nobu shouting something about filling the tube before getting in it.

"Yes, you should see her really drunk." Shin said smiling. "Now she is just… a bit drunk."

"Shin, you should look for the rest of the bottles of this and hide them." Yasu said taking the bottle out and putting it in the litterbin.

"I will call Nami to tell her we can't meet tonight." Shin said taking his phone out. "I don't want to leave her alone in here tonight."

"You should take care of her." Yasu agreed. "This place will be a bit cold without that little imp."

I hadn't come across it, but Yasu was right. That would be the first night she would spend there without the kid. Ok, perhaps he was little, but he was certainly company.

"Yasu." I told him. "You should go home, tomorrow you will have work to do, wont you?"

"If Shin is staying I suppose it will be ok." Yasu said.

"Well, Shin and…" I said pointing to the bathroom where Nobu's voice could be heard. "I don't know if it's ok to leave those two alone here, Nobu is a bit drunk too…"

"Watch for Naoki too." Shin said pointing at him. "He doesn't seem ok either."

"I can take him with me." I offered hoping they didn't make me take him my home.

"I'll take him home." Yasu offered. "If you stay here too. I trust you are old enough for taking care of the situation here. If I leave Shin on charge, our singer would end up regretting something, and Nobu is a bit drunk too..."

I should agree. He was right, neither Nobu nor Shin were too reliable, but I didn't want to stay there when she had still not agreed to it. Anyway…

"Ok, I'll stay." I said.

"Thank you very much, Ren." Yasu said taking Naoki out.

"I take the one over there!" Shin said smiling as he pointed to one room.

Then Nobu opened the bathroom door carrying the girl on his arms covered with a bathrobe on his arms with some difficulties.

"She has fallen asleep in the tube." He said.

"Ok, let me help." I said going to him.

Then I held her to carry her to her bedroom. It was true, despite of her appearance she was heavier than the Japanese girls I had ever had to carry on my arms. But she was nearly all muscle and her shapes were as done in heavens. It was not so weird that she weighed that much.

I put her in the bed.

"Should we change her clothes?" I asked Nobu as Shin was jumping on the bed he was taking that night.

"I don't think she would allow us…" Nobu said pink. "But…" he said getting his face nearer hers to check if she was ok.

Suddenly she hugged his neck muttering something to his ear, something that made him go red.

"I leave you." I said smiling. "There's no bed left so you two could share hers. It's big."

"Ren!!" Nobu told me.

"Night!" I said covering my mouth.

I was supposed not to allow that, but Shin would never do anything bad on his new goddess while she was like that. Even if he was still drunk.

I went into the other bedroom that was more or less ended settling, or at least the one that had a bed to sleep at. Before getting in my bed, I checked the lights were off and heard how Shin moved to his cousin's bedroom and laid on her bed at her other side.

As I saw that picture of her hugging Nobu's and Shin holding her waist as if he was a kid, I smiled. I could understand both of them, I had met her little. I still had to meet her better; but I thought she was a special girl able to take the best of us all and show it. Beginning from that little _gigolo_ of her cousin, Shin.

Sometimes she remembered me on Nana, and then I went serious. I had met them all after Nana left the band for modelling. They were sad, beginning from Yasu.

But the worse of all was Nobu, I knew he was once in love with Nana, but he handed her to me. Then Hatchi, another Nana, and when she left him he seemed to try filling her place as friend with Nana, who then was still my Nana.

Now he had not only lost his girlfriend but also his diva and best friend…

I knew he had gone through a bad time after Nana left, all of us had. I still love her, but I keep on doing some cute women when I have chance, even if I think on Nana despite of them while we are doing it. But Nobu… he seemed mad at her on a beginning, she left and soon she lost contact with them just meeting them from time to time. Even though he knew she was busier than ever now, he seemed not to be able to forgive that betrayal so easily. Till that red haired came.

She seemed to have made him forget about the lost, she had managed to have filled his gaps somehow, not fully, but she helped a lot to fill them.

Then I heard Shin going out of his room so I opened my door to see him getting to the living room where she had a big TV.

"Hey, you should be sleeping." I told him, and then I noticed he had put on a porn film they were showing on a channel. "Aren't you still too young for watching that?"

"I couldn't sleep." He said as I took the remote control from him to turn the TV. off. "It seemed interesting!" he said then faking to cry.

"Wait till you are over aged." I told him embarrassed. "You can't sleep in your cousin's flat?"

"Is not that." He said. "I was wondering… Does love have appeal over sex?"

I then went shocked.

"I mean… Nobu and I tried to check once but it seems it failed and now… it seems just the opposite…"

"I'm not the right one to answer it." I said. "Just look at what happened with Nana and me. I wanted to think Love was more powerful, but it seems it's just the opposite… Anyway, why don't you check it up yourself?"

"I can't." he said looking down sadly.

"Ah, now you questing it… I have another question. Can a hurt and broken heart forgive?" I asked him softly.

He then looked up to meet my face.

"I don't know." He answered smiling. "But we can check it up." He added looking to the bedroom where Isa and Nobu were sleeping.

That kid seemed funny, sometimes ingénue like a kid and other even clever than me because he caught what people tried to mean asking him and gave a funny answer.

After a little while I managed to make him go his bed and sleep. Then I got to my bedroom, but I head Nobu coming out of his bedroom.

"What's up now?" I asked him.

"I can't sleep if she is there." He said. "I think I'll sleep over the sofa."

"Ok, sleep here." I said opening the door at my back. "I'll get there to sleep. Or perhaps not…" I added smiling sexily. "Whatever she wants."

"Ren!" he said, but it was too late I already was in her room, the door close behind me.

She was sleeping in one edge of the bed so I laid on the opposite one, giving my back to her so she would not find it weird when she woke up the following morning. Anyway, after a while I turned back to check she had turned around and was now face to face with me, still separated by a lot of space between both of us. I was wearing normal clothes so nothing could happen. I would never take advantage of her state either. But she was really beautiful, I should agree, when the little light coming through the blinds hit her hair she seemed as if lot of fireflies were stopped at her hair and face. Her skin touched by the same light seemed just as a divine thing. Then she moved a bit and hugged me.

"Alex…" she muttered.

Now I knew where that little imp used to sleep... I smiled and kissed her forehead before rubbing her hair.

"Sweet dreams." I said on English.

I didn't knew if she would hear me or not but I hoped my words would pass his dreams and reach her drunk and slept brain.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Great cook.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

I had a weird dream yesterday night. I was bathing with Nobu but he was not even looking at me. Then I felt as a pair of strong arms took me flying and then I was smoothly made laid on the bed. The following thing I felt was a warm body next to me. I could hear the heart, it was beating fast at first and then slowly; it was relaxing.

Outside sun beams begin caressing my face. I wake up on my bed; I'm looking to the ceiling. There's no noises outside so I suppose everyone has left, and I can't remember how the party ended.

Still have slept I stand up and walk out of the bedroom and into the bathroom. All the bedroom doors are close; perhaps I closed them on purpose… I can't remember.

I then open the hot water that begins falling down the shower so I have a shower. That wakes me up fully, just what I needed cause my watch tells me it's about midday.

I walk out to the kitchen and see not just my shoes at the front door but also three more pairs.

I raise my eye brow.

Since when I wear four pair of shoes at once? And since when my feet were so big?

Then I realised on what that meant and ran to the bedrooms, I slowly opened one door and then another checking two of the four rooms were being occupied by Nobu and Shin. Then I went to the kitchen, four people for meal, perhaps someone else if Yasu came too. And I suppose we could call also Nana Komatsu and Takumi.

No, better not. I think Nobu and Shin didn't get very well with him. Pet's matters Shin had told me. Yasu on the other hand was more help, he told me it was because Takumi stole Nana from Nobu, and that mean she was not longer flat mate of Nana Oosaki and they saw her less often.

As I cooked some soup and roast meat I heard noises coming from Nobu's room. Not long after that, he came out wearing just his jeans and dreamily rubbing his eyes.

"Afternoon sleeping beauty." I said smiling. "I'm cooking some meal."

"Really?" he said. "Oh, wanna some help?"

"No." I said softly. "Well, yes. Could you prepare the salad, please?"

"I can't cook well." He recognised going red.

"Really?" I said. "That's something easy. Ok, you can begin by cleaning the lettuce and the tomatoes."

"Lettuce and tomatoes cleaning, ok, I have it." He said smiling.

**Shin's Part.**

After a long night thinking on my own matters, I managed to fell asleep after ending the vozka bottle Yasu had threw into litter. It was really strong and soon I was close to an anesthesia state.

When I finally woke up it was because the window's blinds were half opened and the sun beams were hitting my face fully as I heard someone singing. I thought it was still early but when I checked time it was more than midday so I stood up rubbing my eyes to walk out.

Then I opened the door and went out. The previous night I didn't noticed which room as it, now I was sober I realised it must have been the child's one. There was a "play station" last generation and action figures over some selves.

I went really surprised when I saw the toys first, but then I realised it was just two figures that were true, the rest were hand made on wood and one was cloth-made.

When I walked out of the room I saw the kitchen was busy with Isa who was singing happily, so it was her.

I was about saying hello when I saw something that made me pinch myself to check if it was true or still dreaming.

Nobu, who had never cooked himself before was cleaning some vegetables and asking Isa for help and her smiling in fun as she told him he had to cut the lettuce first and then the tomatoes.

It hurt so it must be real. Then I walked to the kitchen bar to the living room and elbowed there.

"Hey, Mr. Cook." I told them smiling in fun. "Is it real? Is Nobu cooking?"

"Hey, I'm trying, right?" he told me holding the knife up before cutting anything.

"Ok, ok." I said smiling. "Isa, do you have something for redraft, please?"

"Sure, I'll give you what I usually have for that." She said smiling as she stirred the pot where she was cooking something that smelled as heaven.

She left for her room and after a second, she came back out shocked.

"There's… What is Ren doing at my bed?" she asked.

"Sleeping?" I asked her.

"Damn... What did I do yesterday night?" she muttered before going in again coming out with a pill she handed me.

**Ren's Part.**

After a long while awake being hugged by a sleeping friend that remembered me on Nana I fell asleep. She made me feel weird things. Sometimes I saw her as a woman and other as an overgrown daughter. Was I beginning to go sissy?

I was sleeping deep when suddenly Nobu's shouts woke me up. I jumped on the bed in fright. Then I ran out of the bedroom to see Isa running to the toilet with Nobu on her side and Shin behind them.

"What's going on?" I asked them.

"Nobu has cut himself with the knife." Isa said as I heard her opening the bathroom sink tap to let cold water run, then she put Nobu's finger in the water and I saw how some blood began turning water a bit red with blood.

"We were talking and suddenly he cut himself." Shin told me.

"And what were you doing with a knife?" I asked as I heard Nobu shout in pain while Isa put some alcohol at his finger with a cotton ball.

"I wonder who the hell drank all my finest black vozka…" she muttered. "It was good for drinking and also for healing minor wounds…"

"You." I said. "Don't you remember?"

"He was cutting lettuce for salad." Shin said.

Then I began laughing. Nobu cooking? He was not able to even heat a frozen meal so less of cooking.

"Don't laugh at it." Isa told me. "Nobu! That is not so painful, please!" she added pressing the cotton against his cut. "See? It has stopped bleeding. Press here while I put something to hold it."

Soon Nobu had his finger bandaged and fastened with what looked as a medical net.

"How is that you decided to allow him using a knife?" I asked her taking the knife to keep on cutting the things for salad.

"I wanted to teach him cooking cause he wanted to help and he said he couldn't cook." She said ending checking the containing of a pot tasted well and then she turned off the fire and came to my side to take the board and begin cutting salad ingredients fast.

I looked at how she managed to get a salad ready on a minute when it too me at least five to do the same.

"You are fast cook." I told her.

"I learned it from my home cook." She said smiling as she put some salad, oil and vinegar to the salad. "French cooking, English cooking, Mediterranean cooking and of course oriental cooking, including Chinese and Japanese cooking…"

"So, you sing, cook, swim and act well." I said picking a piece of tomato. "Hummm… And you can choose tasty food. Where did you got those?"

"A little shop on the other side of the town." She said handing me the salad for taking it to the table and piling some dishes for us to lay the table too. "It's hard to find the food I want around here. The tomatoes must be on their right point, same goes for the rest of fruit and vegetables. Look out, this is hot." She said handing me a big metallic bowl covered with a lid and with a serving soup thing inside.

I must agree, it was really hot and as it was metal, it burned a bit so I was happy when I put it down at a special plank on the table centre.

"What is this?" I said removing the lid so be blinded by hot meal vapour that I had smelled when I went to the kitchen.

"Miso soup." She said smiling. "I gave it my little touch so I hope it is ok with you all."

"Are you kidding?" I said handing her my bowl to be served. "I love soup!"

She then served us a bow of soup each. And Nobu was the one taking a hot metal tray with roast meat with sauce and roast potatoes under it all.

When the door bell rang she walked to open it.

"Sorry for being late." Yasu said coming in the flat. "Oh, I see you still have those ticks around here."

"Hello, dear!" I said acting as a housewife. "I have cook meal for you, love!"

Yasu seemed to go a bit embarrassed at my acting while Isa held her laugh.

"It was Isa who cooked it all." Shin said. "Salad, soup and roast meat."

"Hummm, smells good." Yasu said loosening his tie.

**Isa B. Part.**

"I'm full!" Shin said happy.

"Babe, it should be forbidden to cook so wonderfully." Ren added.

"You eat like pigs." Yasu said. "But you are right, all was wonderful taste."

"Thanks." I said smiling. "I didn't ever found any use for knowing all this boring stuff, but now that I can do it for friends… I think housewife things are not as silly as I thought."

"Oh, sure." Ren said. "You were one of those posh girls that live among cotton, silk and gold. That are not allowed to do anything."

"But that ran away from home." I said smiling. "I didn't learn to dance Salsa or singing punk just on the boarding schools."

"She was kicked from most of them." Shin then said smiling. "I really grew up admiring that girl that was able to make my father and brother go nuts when they heard about her last actions."

"What were them? Typing more than 3 grammatical mistakes?" Ren said joking.

"No." I said smiling. "I was sometimes charged with false things. And my family managed to silence all my trespasses."

"I still remember when you blew that toilet on your six year!" Shin said smiling.

**Ren's Part.**

We were speaking about pasts when Isa spoke about her own past. She seemed to have been on of those posh girls, but according to Shin and her, she was not that good.

"I still remember when you blew that toilet on your six year!" Shin said smiling.

Then she laughed.

"I nearly had forgotten that. It was… before or after the explosion on the school lab?" she asked.

"Before I think." He said laughing.

Toilet blowing up, lab explosions… what were they talking about? She could not be able to that! Or was she?

"I can't believe she did it." I said.

"Sorry to doubt about it but if it was real it would have appeared on the media." Yasu added.

"As I said her family is powerful, such scandals would not be good for the name." Shin said.

When she was off at the kitchen to begin cleaning the dishes, he lighted a cig.

"Hey," I then said to Shin. "Is it true she did that?"

"And even worse things when she grew up a bit." Shin said smiling. "Vandalism in the schools, private belongings destruction, graffiti on the walls, illegal fights… I think she was once kicked from a Private Swedish boarding High school cause of prostitution accusations."

What was him talking about? It could not be that! She was just a girl! Nana was strong, that was true. But not even she would have gone through so many accusations on a row.

"If she has a clean academical expedient was because her father did great donations to the schools in order they didn't put the little incidents on her expedient. And I still not found out if she is a good fighter or not. She is not fond on showing it to me."

"If she was so good fighting then why would she pay so much money for living in this place that has lot of safety measures?" I asked.

"Remember she said her father was the one choosing her new flat." Yasu said. "And I doubt she enjoys showing off her strength."

"Well, there would be a good way of knowing it." Shin said. "If she founded it out, of course."

"What about?" I asked.

"Grand Fist." He said smiling. "Tonight at eight o'clock ends the accepting period, and fights begin at ten."

"You can't make her go in there." I said astonished as water noise ended. "That's all men competition!"

I had seen it once. But according to Nobu's reaction when he heard about it he had never heard about it.

It was illegal fighting where no weapon use was allowed, just body use. For the rest, there was just one rule: "There are no rules".

Usually just the worst men in the town took part on it. Band members that saw in that a good chance of winning a prize, fighters looking for some real training, ex-militaries, gangsters… There was not a good place for a lady, so less for such a lady as her, even if she was all muscle as she seemed to be.

"What are you talking about?" she asked coming back to us.

"We were speaking about a contest that takes place today." Shin said faster than the rest.

"But it was nothing interesting." Yasu said.

"Good." She said smiling. "I heard about something interesting tonight. I think that could help me… relaxing on a non-alcoholic way."

"Relax?" Nobu said. "I hope not bathing with me again!"

"Didn't you enjoy it last night?" Shin asked smiling.

"That's something I suppose I'm sorry for." She said. "But no, it doesn't mean alcohol for me, or nudity or anything related. But I'll need to go shopping before attending there. If any of you wanna come..."

"I can't, I must work till late today too." Yasu said.

Of course, he was always working; even now that he was a famous drummer from a famous band. I had to do some things at the record company too so I said I couldn't go either. Nobu had to work at the disco store so he couldn't go either, but Shin offered to go with her to do the shopping.

"I could help you carrying the bags if you want." He said putting his cig off.

"Ok, that will be ok." She said smiling. "Thanks Shin!" she said messing his hair softly.

He seemed to enjoy when a girl he liked did it to him. Sometimes he reminded me to the kid he still was.

"Hey, I'm busy this afternoon." I said. "But if you want this night we could met to have a drink again."

"Why don't you call your little friend?" Shin said smiling. "She seemed happy to see you last time…"

"I didn't know she was one of your customers." I said. "And she didn't want to see me again after so much time ignoring her calls…"

The girl he was talking about was the last one I had put between my sheets no counting with Isa last night. She was a stewardess so she usually called me when she was at Tokyo.

We keep on chatting till Yasu had to leave so I did too. Nobu also left to take a train so I offered to take both to their jobs, that would make me be a bit late to the record company but they didn't cared much about it.

Isa and Shin then were left at her house so I suppose they would go shopping on train too and later.

I was planning to phone them that night, but Yasu was the first one phoning me.

"Yasu?" I said when I saw his name on my cell phone screen. "Hi, forget telling me anything before?"

"Where was that fight held?" he quickly asked me nervous.

I didn't know what he was talking about.

"Excuse me?" I asked him. "Which fight?"

"The fist thing? Where is it?" he asked me.

"The Grand Fist?" I asked. "On the downtown. Why are you asking anyway?"

"Isa's in problems." He said. "I have already called Nobu, and he will be heading straight there when he finds out where it is being held."

"I'm coming. Where is him?" I asked taking my leather jacket.

"Next to Hatchiko's monument."

"Ok, phone him and tell him to wait there. I'll be there as soon as I can." I said hanging down the phone.

"Ren!" Our manager said. "Where do you think you are going?!"

"Sorry, but I have to leave." I said from the door. "A friend got into trouble."

"That Nana…" Takumi said. "She always manages to get you and herself into troubles!"

"It's not her!" I said fast. "Is Isabelle!"

I then walked fast to the parking to take my car. I was starting the engine when Naoki jumped in the car too.

"I'm going too." He said. "Takumi will kill me if I stay here! He is mad because you left!!"

"Ok, fasten your belt." I said. "We are going to go too fast."

I knew it was nearly impossible to make him get out my car cause he will begin acting as a little kid cause he wanted to go free from Takumi who had gone angry again cause of Trapnes and Blast fight for being Japan's number one again.

Traffic was awful that day, but we managed to reach the station soon (Hatchiko's statue is just on the entrance to one of Tokyo stations, sorry but I don't remember which one) and Nobu was already there.

"She is fighting!" he said fast as he got in the car too. "And Shin called me to tell me she was fighting against lot of dangerous men!!"

"What?!" Naoki and I said at once.

It was impossible; she could not be so crazy to do such thing.

Anyway, we droved at top speed to reach the place where the fight was taking place. When we reached Yasu was there too.


	11. Chapter 11

P.D: Sorry for the too violent scenes. Perhaps I should have not included such things but… hey! On a street fight you don't go home with little wounds! People, don't try doing this at home. You could end up as the Rattling Dragon. Or worse if you come across a worse guy… Street fights are no good, so don't mistake me.

**Chapter 11: Frozen victory.**

**Nobu's Part.**

When we reached the place we found Shin easily. He was on first line so we managed to elbow our way to his side.

"Shin! How do you dare to allow her to do this?!" I said.

"Didn't think her important appointment tonight was this!" he said. "I was just joking when I suggested you to tell her about this!"

He really seemed worried, but he was such a good actor that you could never know if he was saying the truth or not.

"Anyway, where is she?" Yasu asked. "We have to take her out of here now."

"She is the following one." Shin said pointing to the point where the referee had appeared.

It was just a strong man wearing black and white robes and with a microphone on his hand.

"Well, well. This was our current champion beating up a new aspirant!" the referee guy said, and then crowd began cheering up. "Now we have the following one." The guy said. "Yoh ho ho! Back to our fighting rink… the Rattling Dragon!" A strong guy who seemed as a big ape come to the stage lifting his arms up as people cheered for him. "And to fight against our dragon, straight from the downtowns of a near village… well, he should have been clearer. With 54 kg of weight and 1'67 m. high… the Hooded Double X!"

A not higher than me guy came to the stage, he was wearing a tight hooded top with his face from nose to shoulders bandaged same went for his fists. He was not appearing to be very strong, yet his arms were not skinny either.

"There she is!" Shin shouted over the crowd "boos" to let us know.

"Where?" Naoki said. "I can't see her!"

It was true, we were looking back the two fighters hoping to find her red haired head around, but there was not there and the two fighters began to fight.

"There!" Shin repeated pointing at the stage. "The Hooded Double X!"

We couldn't believe him, that one was a guy, there was not the slightest sign of her big breast at that man; his pectorals were developed, that was true, but they were not tits either.

"Shin, that can't be!" I shouted at his ear. "Are you blind? He is a… Isa?!"

Suddenly the gorilla had managed to pull the hood off and a red haired head appeared, she had tied it on a high ponytail and then around it self to make it look as a bun.

Then she hit the man slightly hurting him but on the following one he managed to held her up and threw her against one of the posts making her zip break a bit and revealing when she stood up some bandages broken showing now they had been holding her breast so tight that it looked as men's one. As a consequence of the hit, she was now bleeding a bit from her nose, but she pressed on the back of her neck as she ducked his hits and on less than a minute she stopped bleeding.

**Isabel B. Part.**

"A girl?!" the guy said when he realised on my now too bumped breast.

"What did you thought Double X came from? Xenophobic and Xtreme?" she said. "XX, genetic code for women!"

"This is illegal!" he said to the referee.

"There are no laws that forbid women fight." The referee said.

"Hey! I don't want to win because you refuse to fight me!" I said hitting his back to make him go back to the fight.

I didn't want to hit anyone who was not paying me attention, even if he made me mad because he didn't want to fight me cause of my sex.

I then could see my friends watching me from first line and I waved slightly at them. I think they wanted me to get down that fight, but I would never do it. No when I was about winning something and I could relax a bit. I was risking myself to getting a bit hurt, true, but I would not allow that silly guy to win me.

I then hit him once on his chest, still not on my full strength. I would make victory tastier if I won him fair and square taking my time for wining him. First was relaxing, using him as pouching-ball, and then when she went tired she could begin fighting him on her full power.

Ren, Yasu, Naoki and Shin were there. But suddenly she met other eyes. Nobu was also there, standing terrified as he saw how I fought there a mountain like guy.

That was my mistake, for looking at him I had lowered my defence for a second and I was full hit on my breast by the guy who sent me against the only wall in the fighting place.

It hurt, I must agree. But I can't tell what hurt more, if his hit or what he said while I was on the ground.

"That's why women shouldn't fight." He said laughing. "They are weak! And this bitch was looking to her weak friends over…"

That was more than enough. No one laughed like that of women and my friends. I had hit people for less than calling me weak or bitch.

I quickly stood up with an acrobatics and jumped to stand at his back.

"I'm now tired of you." I muttered to him.

I was bleeding from my head and I suppose the following day I would have some bruises on my back and places he had managed to hit me.

Then I began throwing him fast combos of kicks, punches and several other hits. Mixing up martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, break-dance, capoeira and several other fighting stiles.

**Naoki's Part.**

I had never seen a woman act like that one.

We were all astonished as we saw her hitting the big guy fully a lot of times on a row, fast and fully, not even letting him fall to the ground by keeping him up with her hits. There was a moment that he said something else, we couldn't heard and if the previous one was unexpected what came after what he told her was amazingly frightening.

Her hits not only went faster but also seemed to go stronger. We saw how the man began bleeding from nose, lips, head and hearing how he was fully hit once and again with no stop. He was stiff as she hit him on such a way and so fast that he was unable to move.

Everyone there held their breaths as we saw that, wide opened eyes to see such a scary performance, then the man flew away falling down while she was sitting on her heels. Then she slowly stood up and straightened her robes pulling the zip of her robes up again with her eyes close.

"Anyone else want to insult me or my friends? I can face ten like him at once." she then asked when the man she had just won began forming a blood pool under his head. "No? No one else?"

Everyone was silent. Some were terrified on what we had just seen and others were still so shocked that they couldn't speak.

Nobu had his eyes tight shut and was holding his ears as if he didn't want to hear the fight. Yasu's eyes seemed to be about falling from his holes.

I had never seen such a terrifying fight, not even Takumi's old times. She could have killed that guy.

"Hey! Wake up! Anyone could please help him?! Before he goes worse?!" she said. "C'mon!" she said clapping her hands. "Anyone call an ambulance! The show is over!"

Then the referee came out of his astonishment and went up the stage to hold her hand up.

She had fought on street fighting laws, noble laws such as not hitting an unaware opponent or not hitting him when he was already at the ground.

All I could do was clapping while most of crowd cheered for the new champion of the night.

She was then given a big guy ring and a belt. Who gave it to her was supposed to be a cute girl wearing really hot, but instead, and considering the winner was a woman, the one giving it to her was the referee.

Then she waved smiling and winked at us.

**Isabel B. Part.**

When I left the place, my friends were already waiting for me out of the place. They were all smoking stinking cigs mixing all the brands they usually smoked in a big tobacco fumes could.

I was now smiling mildly when I came across their still surprised, worried and happy faces. It was weird to describe all the feelings mixing at their faces, but they were a confusing mix of them.

"Sorry to make you wait so long." I apologize.

"Are you…" Ren began. "Shin phoned us! We were all worried!"

"You shouldn't have gone in that." Yasu said. "Don't you understand you could have gone too hurt!"

Shin was serious and about crying, but what touched me the most was Nobu's face. He was frightened and seemed about crying too.

I looked at him sad, I had been happy of having been able to teach that prat a lesson about who to insult and who not. Luckily for me my face was not seen cause I wore a bandage covering half of my face all the time and my hair was hidden most of the time with the hood. If any press member had seen it and wrote about it Blast would have gone down in a scandal.

Too late I had realised on that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make a scandal out of it." I said.

"It's not that what matters now!" Yasu said. "You could have ended up in hospital!"

"I… I'm sorry." I muttered.

Then Shin hugged me by the back.

"Stop that!" he said. "She has done what she thought was the best! And she has not being badly injured!"

"Well… that's right." Naoki said. "She was terrifying but not badly hurt… and no journalist saw it."

Then they sighed up as I began sobbing. I was not the kind of women who cries in front of anyone, especially friends. But seeing them so worried and telling me off cause of their worry for me made me go too down for ignoring it myself.

And Nobu was still silent as a grave wearing a still frightened face.

**Nobu's Part.**

I couldn't help my face. Seeing the girl that I now loved acting so terrifyingly vicious and fast against a guy, even if it was for not being hurt made me go into a commotion. How could I have guessed she could do such things? She seemed just as a normal girl, but seeing her fighting inside that place…

I saw her when she came out holding her ring at her neck with a chain and the big fighter belt as if it was a new fashionable belt over her long skirt. She seemed happy, but I couldn't say if it was real, I still had the scenes I have seen before closing my eyes due to terror in her fight.

When I saw her again Shin was hugging her by the back facing Yasu, Ren and Naoki and she seemed about crying. Finally they dropped the theme and we were taken on Ren's car but for Yasu and Naoki who left on a taxi for both.

We nearly had to carry her up to her flat on our arms because she still seemed down, but she kept on walking.

When we reached her flat she caged herself in her bedroom after telling us we could eat whatever we want from the fridge.

We tried to make her eat something by knocking on her door, but she didn't come out.

"Shin, Nobu." Ren said before leaving. "Please, take care of her. And call me tomorrow if she is ok again, ok?"

Then he left and we were left there.

"Nobu, could you stay here tonight?" Shin said.

"Aren't you staying here too?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid it's not me who could fix things up now." He said sadly.

I then realised he wanted me to go in her room and try fixing things up so I lay at the sofa sighing.

"I think she will not pay much attention to me either."

"If you speak with her…" Shin said.

"And what do I tell her?" I told him nervous. "I have never had to face a dangerous depressed person before!"

"She is not that!" he said angry. "She was your love before! Why has seeing her fight changed your mind now?"

I didn't answer him. I didn't know it either. I could suddenly remember her happy face when we practiced our songs all together before her debuting as our new singer. Her happy and smiley face when we were all together.

She was beautiful then, but when I saw the face she wore when she was about beginning beating up the other fighter… that didn't seemed her.

I couldn't understand how such a nice woman as her, who took care of us all, cooked well and was as a wonderful between wife and mother, suddenly had turned into such a terrifying fighter.

But Shin was looking angry at me.

"If you are not going to speak with her then I'll ask someone else to give her a hand." He said. "And I'll remember you Ren or Naoki are still not going out with any girl. Or perhaps Yasu! He is nicer to her than you!"

That he had told me now was as putting the finger in the wound. It hurt.

"Ok, I'll try." I said. "I'll try to make her go out of there and have something for dinner…"

"And overall, try to remove from her mind the idea of you not wanting to get close her any more!" he said turning TV. on.

I wanted to have thrown him something to hit his head, but instead I knocked on Isa's door and as I got no answer from inside I opened it.

"May I come in?" I said getting inside.

She then moved to face a side, so I walked to sit next to her.

"Are you ok?" I asked her.

She just turned around giving me her back as she nodded.

"Isa, this is silly." I said. "You can't stay here for ever."

She didn't react.

"Please, you have to eat something. At least that, yes?" I asked her. "I will make you something for dinner, ok? But you have to stand up and come out."

She just seemed to shiver a bit, then I realised she was crying softly and silently.

I then sighed.

"I'm sorry." I said. "I suppose you are like that because we seemed weird when you went out."

Now she was looking at me despite of her tears, I had finally managed to catch her attention.

"I'm sorry." I said. "We were all really worried about you. Well, not Naoki I suppose." I said smiling as I remembered him happy to see the fight. "And then we saw you fighting so terrifyingly… You frightened us, but I can't say I don't want anything else to do with you. I… well, I…"

That was really difficult to say to a crying girl as her. I just laid at her side and put my arm under her neck to hug her softly to allow her burying her face in my chest robes.

She was still crying softly, making my shirt go wet with her tears.

"What I wanted to tell you was… that… that… I love you." I said nearly babbling and going red.

She then looked at me confused. I don't know why I did it but…

I kissed her. It was a long kiss in which I closed my eyes, when we stopped; I slowly opened my eyes as we separated our lips. She was opening her eyes too.

"I love you too." She said on English.

I didn't remember it, she was European. Luckily I knew a bit of English so as I heard her words I smiled and we kissed again.

This time when we ended she seemed a bit happier.

And one things lead to another.

**Shin's Part.**

I was watching TV. while Nobu tried to make my cousin get out of her room and have a bit of dinner. I turned off the TV. to get to the room and try too.

And when I was about reaching the door I heard funny noises coming from inside. Bed header's cricking and other noises I'd rather not to name. Smiling I went to my bedroom to lay there with a bottle to make me company.

**Nobu's Part.**

When we ended she laid her head over my chest again smiling and I caressed it combing her hair with my fingers.

"That was… as heaven…" I muttered her.

"That was good." She said smiling.

Perhaps she was terrifying when she fought, but… even though, I still liked her.

"By the way, where did you learnt to fight like that?" I asked.

I was really interested on that. Where did she learn to be so dangerous? Because I suppose it was not in a war.

"You would never believe me if I tell you." She said smiling softly.

"Try."

"On the boarding schools I began learning it." She answered smiling. "When I was five I began beginning bullied cause of my family being so important one. And when I was seven I got tired, I turn around to face a pair of elder guys, I looked at them angrily and then I kicked their asses. I was the one getting the worse part, but they learned not to bully me again. Then I began learning more about fighting… Ah, and when I was six my father took me to martial arts training to learn self defence. So after that first fight I began looking to elder than me fighters so I soon began fighting well too."

"But it was not all martial arts." I said.

"No…" she said as if she was sighing the words. "It's funny. But soon I began looking for more and more training so I began taking boxing and capoeira lessons. And when I began going to a very exclusive high on England… I began going out at free time that I was not too looked up for going to gyms, I spent… about 5 to 6 hours in the afternoons training on different fighting styles. And most of my father's workers that took care of me still think I was out for practising tennis or ballet!" she said laughing.

It was funny. She came from a good family, with lots of money and a great empire to watch over; lot of bodyguards to keep an eye on her day and night. And despite that she seemed to be part of the collective Yasu and Ren belonged to.

"You are lying me!" I said laughing.

"No!" she said laughing too. "It's true. I loved to sneak out of my home and go to the concerts too! Oh man! My dad would have never approved me going to Sex Pistol concerts or Rolling Stones or anything like that!"

I then laughed. It was amazing, I would have never thought that would be true. She came from a similar family to mine but better and she was just like the young Nobu!

Yet I didn't knew how lost she was that time.

"I used to admire someone." She then said softly. "But I had the impression of him not paying me the attention I wanted to get…"

"A hero?" I asked. "Who? Britney Spears?" I said joking.

"No!" she said laughing and hitting my arm softly. "It was a man, an elder than me man when I was still a little kid. All my life I have wanted to become a person he would recognise."

I liked her smile. It was funny and lovely. It made me smile.

Then my phone rang.

I picked it up.

"Who's up?" I asked walking out in the terrace. It was bigger than what I thought.

"Nana."

It was Nana, my friend.

"Oh, Hi." I said. "What's… Long time since you don't phone."

"I have heard about it." She said. "Congratulations."

"For?" I asked.

"Getting over your both Nanas!" she said before hanging down.

I was now astonished. What was wrong with her? She ran away and then she wanted us to keep being hung for her?

I was tempted of throwing my phone away from the ninth plant of that building.

"Nobu is everything ok?" Isa asked appearing on the window.

"No!" I said shouting. "Oh, excuse me. I… Sorry, that call… Damn, I'm idiot."

"No, no." She said "My fault. I shouldn't have ask. That's not my business…" she said disappearing from sight.

Damn!! I was really idiot!! I had gave her the wrong impression. I hit the brick wall with my head once and again for being so silly.

I was really weird. I should have hated Nana, I once loved her but then she too left us, as her lovely Ren.

And now she seemed angry at me! I was the one who should be angry with her!

"Hey, if you have finished hitting the wall perhaps you could get in here." Shin said appearing to the door. "Our princess is at the kitchen eating a bit of salad. I think she is worried about her weight."

"It's not my fault!" I said.

"I wanted you to come in and be with us." Shin said. "And perhaps tell me what has made you gone so mad."

"Nana! That's the reason!" I said getting in. "She leaves and now she wanted to congratulate me for getting over both Nanas! What did she wanted to tell me with that?"

"Has she found out something about you and Isa?" Shin told me.

"Don't know, what has it to do with it." I asked.

I don't know what he meant with that, but…

"Oh, Nobu!" Shin told me as we watched TV. "Nana must be jealous of Isa filling her place as singer on Blast! And now you are with Isa and you have also forgot about Hachi's too!"

"That's not true!" I then said. "We are not… Wait a moment… we are going out but no one knew but for you all and…"

Suddenly I realised on something.

"Ren?" Shin said serious.

Ren knew so perhaps if Nana still phoned him from time to time as he had told us, perhaps he had told Nana about something he has told us or something.

**Isabel B. Part.**

I smiled softly as I saw both cousin Shin and Nobu chatting fast on the sofa. I understood Japanese, of course, but didn't knew if what I was understanding was the truth.

"Hey, are you conspiring against women again?" I asked them joking.

Shin then held my neck playfully and rubbed my hair.

"We were saying we don't understand women!" Nobu told me.

"Cause we are not so easy." I said smiling. "But men are not so easy to understand either."

"We are thousand times easier than you!" Shin said. "But I like complicated women."

He said smiling sexily.

Perhaps I was the only woman not falling on his tricks. But Nobu told him off just the same.

I smiled as I saw both arguing and then put my face in the middle.

"Do love and not war." I said smiling in English.

Shin smiled as he understood it, but Nobu seemed not to so Shin translated it for him and then he began tickling me.

"Well, Isa." Shin said before going to bed. "When do you plan to tell us?"

"To tell what?" I asked.

"Nobu and you are going out." He said smiling.

I smiled weakly. And then I answered as I scratched the back of my neck.

"When did you found out?" I asked.

"C'mon, I heard it all tonight." He said smiling. "And I love that it's him."

"Thanks…" I said smiling and hugging him.

He rubbed my head and then smiled as I got in my bed.

"Good night, Shin." I told him.

"Good night, Isa." He answered me back on English. "Sweet dreams."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Little chats.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

Little time has passed. Nobu and Nana seem to have gone further and colder among them cause she seemed to be jealous of him having me now and he doesn't want to stand it any longer. I have tried to make him see she was his friend since they met so that deserves a special attention to problems that can surge from them. But he just went angrier at me.

He has moved to my home and so has Shin. Cousin has the room that once was Alex one and Nobu has one of the ones that weren't still painted. Yet he spends most of nights with me.

As we are on some free days now, we were doing some house arrangements such as repainting and cooking food diary, just to eat fit for some days. So we invite Yasu to have meal with us when he has nothing better to do.

By the way, the person cousin Shin was dating to was Leyla, the Trapnes singer. She seems nice, but just in case we could have a big argument, Shin tries not to mix us much. The argument comes across cause she is just like him, and I can stand that on a man but not on a woman as her who must be about my age, perhaps elder than me.

Anyway, lately Nobu had to work till late on the shop so I have most of my day free. I have met Ren and Naoki some days. I have lot of fun with both, especially with Naoki who I met on pubs and we have some beers; poor of him, he stands alcohol worse than me.

Anyway, when this morning I had that call I went surprised. It was Miss Nana K, Takumi's wife. She asked me to go her home and have meal with her and her daughter.

What I didn't knew when I agree to go was I was also having meal with Takumi.

It's not that I don't like him, but he is mysterious and confusing, the member on his band that I knew the less.

I would have loved it was just Hatchi and me. I call her Hatchi because she told me to call her that so as not to confuse both Nanas.

She was smiling all the meal and the three of us spoke about general things. I suppose Takumi would have loved to speak about music or something, but when he tried I changed topic. From everything in the world, I would not like to make the woman that invited me to have meal out of the chat.

But when she was putting dishes on the dish washer and I said to leave them alone for nap time things changed.

"I'll take you home." Takumi said. "Mosquitoes are a bit exhausting those days."

"Don't worry." I told them. "I'll call a taxi so none of them would be able to photograph me."

"It's no disturbance." Nana said. "And I'd feel better if you allowed him to take you home."

I looked at her, she was smiling. I suppose she didn't saw the danger her husband had, even if he loved her. For the kind of men Takumi seems to be, just one woman is never enough.

"Ok, I suppose you are right." I said finally giving up. "If you don't mind Takumi… It'll be cheaper that you take me home."

"I take the keys and we can leave." He said.

I took my things and kissed the little Nobu Jr. on the forehead softly.

"Sweet dreams, baby." I muttered him on English.

Miss Nana smiled as if she understood what I told her son and went with us till the gate where she said good bye softly.

"Takumi, you have a wonderful wife." I told him serious when the lift doors closed. "Do not dare to hurt her ever or I'll be looking for you to cut your goolins and give them to her as deluxe designed earrings."

"Hey, you should speak more like a girl." He told me chuckling. "Or you will end up making men here run from you."

"I don't need men around me to be happy." I said. "And about my words… you can take them as you want, but they pretended to be an advise. Don't dare to hurt her."

"I would never dare to hurt the mother of my son." He said caging me against the lift wall with one arm.

Then the lift doors opened at the garage and he pressed his car remote control and the lights blinked. He gently opened my door allowing me to get in.

"You don't love Nana too much, do you?" I asked him after analysing the last times I have met him.

"I didn't marry on love." He answered me. "I respect her, love comes later."

"Love comes before weeding!" I told him rather bothered. "You shouldn't have married her if you are going to flirt with beautiful women you cross your way."

Then he looked at me as he drove.

"You remind me on her sometimes." He told me.

"But I don't want to have nothing else than friendship with you." I told him. "I already have someone, and for your information, I love him."

Then he stopped the car just outside my home, took off his safety belt and kissed me.

It was a deep and weird kiss, I didn't expect it, but it was as if he was stealing my strength and volunty. When he stopped the kiss I opened my eyes and hand and… Slap!

Suddenly he had a beautiful red hand mark on his cheek.

"Do not dare to hurt Nana again." I told him angry. "I have already told you!"

It was amazing, that was what I meant by hurting Nana! She was his wife!

"When you marry someone that means you have no eyes for another person of its gender!" I told him opening the door to get out. "So stop acting as if you didn't care more than for yourself!"

I was really angry, so much that I was letting out two tears in fury. I didn't want to hurt that little and tender lady that Miss Nana Ichinoise was. I didn't want to have a cold man that would cheat his wife with a beautiful woman. I didn't want to pass though the feeling of not knowing where my guy was or if he would be kissing another woman not me. No, I didn't need a guy like that.

I didn't wait Takumi to apologize, instead I opened the front door and fast ran into the hall where one of the building receptionist was for the night turn. I said hello and ran to the lift. Last thing I saw before the doors close was Takumi standing with his head against his arm against the glass front door, looking sorry and as if he had been won.

No, definitively I didn't want him. Yet he had a funny charm that made women to get attached to him; maybe his hot way of dancing, maybe just his appeal… something evil that made me want to be near him and smell his scent… but not longer.

It was dangerous. Takumi meant danger. Danger of hurting a good woman, danger of falling into an evil whirl of deceptions, jealousy… and lot of pain.

When I opened the front door I saw Nobu watching TV. at the sofa.

I was still crying softly not even wanting it. I couldn't help it. He turned his face to look at me and saw me. I was lying against the closed door looking to the ground.

"Isa, how was the…? Isa!!" he said running to me when he saw me.

To his shout, Shin came too. I think he was sleeping before, but Nobu's shout had waked him up.

When he saw Nobu hugging me he sighed. I was nearly being held by Nobu's arms. He helped me to get to the sofa and sit there, with Shin on my other side sitting on his legs.

"What's happened?" they asked me.

"Is Nana ok?" Nobu asked me.

"Yes, yes. She is ok…" I said trying to dry my tears with my hand. "Everything is ok…"

"No, you are not ok." Nobu said. "What's happened?"

"Nothing." I told them. "I just came here, I mean… Takumi took me here after having meal with Nana."

When I mentioned Takumi's name Nobu went surprised. Shin then looked down on sadness.

I don't know why but I think I shouldn't have told them I didn't came here myself.

**Nobu's Part.**

I was watching news on TV. when Isa arrived back home. As Nana had told us she would invite her for lunch I supposed she would be there and I would not see her till I went back there after my work at the record shop.

But she had come home before I went to work. I thought that when she came back she would smile to see we had eaten all she left us for meal and that we had kept the house clean and washed the dishes and forks from lunch; but instead she was crying.

I had still never seen her crying. That made me immediately run to help her.

Shin had also come despite of having been in his new bedroom trying to sleep a little nap back home after a night out.

I surrounded her in my arms and hugged her trying to pass her the message that she was back home so she could feel everything was right.

We managed to make her sit down and explain us. And when I heard his name I went shocked. That evil man, the worst of the worst soldiers of the Big King, Takumi Ichinoise. I wonder what he had done her to make her cry.

Anyway, when I managed to get over that surprise, I hugged her once again.

"If he has dared to laid a finger on you…" I told her as she buried her face at my chest. "If he had dared to do anything bad on you, I'll kill him."

I was mad at him cause of what he had done on us. First taking Ren, my friend and my friend's boyfriend, away from us; then Nana K, my girlfriend; and now daring to hurt our new singer and my girlfriend. Unforgivable!

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"If he has dared to laid a finger on you…" I told her as she buried her face at my chest. "If he had dared to do anything bad on you, I'll kill him."

Those words made me go shocked; I didn't expect him to say such thing.

"I know I'm not too strong, but I will manage to show him not to do bad things on women…" he told me.

Then I held his chest robes, perhaps I was suffering a bit, but I would not feel any better if he fought Takumi, even if he had laid a finger on me.

"Don't touch him." I said trying to sound still. "He has not done anything bad on me… I'm just… a bit down because I think he would cheat Hatchi… and I don't want him to hurt her…"

He looked at me with his eyes unfocussed. He was shocked again, I could see it, but then he looked down as if he was sorry.

"I should have supposed you could not trust him…" he told me.

"I'm going to beat him so bad that he will have to eat with a straw!" Shin said.

"Shin!" I told him. "Don't do anything on him! What do you think press would do if they found out Takumi, guitar from Trapnest was beaten up by you, guitar from Blast?! Your fame down through the sink!"

That seemed to make him think twice about beating up Takumi, but he seemed not to give up on the idea.

"Well… I have to go work." Nobu said. "Sorry… Shin, will you stay here with her? I'll come straight here after work, right?"

"Sure." Shin said.

"Oh, I was thinking to visit you." I told him back normal, more or less. "I have heard there was a new CD from a European band so I was thinking on asking your shop to get me one."

"Oh… ok." Nobu said smiling. "Come when you want and I'll see what we can do. Perhaps we could have it. Well, see you later!"

"See you." We said at once.

When he left, Shin and I were left alone.

"Shin, you can leave if you have something else to do." I told him. "I'm ok, seriously. There's no need of you staying here if you have things to do."

"I have nothing more important than you to do." He told me. "Now… could you tell me exactly what that demon did to you? I'm not as silly as Nobu, he must have done or tell you something too strong to make you cry."

I knew Shin was not as easy to convince as Nobu was, so I had to tell him exactly what he had told and done me.

(Nobu's voice)

I was a bit worried about the whole thing. Even if Isa told me Takumi had done nothing to her, I couldn't just relax and drop it. He was evil. Perhaps he had come across the fact Isa was now her girl and he wanted to turn her into a second Nana. But he will never give her up so easily.

Lately working at the shop was a bit boring because not much people came, especially after the great opening of a new department store down at the same street.

It was not before a quarter of hour to the shop closing for that day that Isa came with Shin. She was wearing smart outfit, meaning expensive clothes, yet being jeans and leather jacket with a tight white blouse like top and a pair of designed little rectangular sun glasses similar to some Ren used to wear from time to time. After her came some other guys, perhaps fans, who knows.

"Hello." She said smiling. "I'd like a new CD. Do you know where could I find the last _Mago de Oz_'s CD?"

"I don't know that band." I said a big confused on her treating me so as if she didn't knew me. "No, we don't have anything from that band. But perhaps we could manage to get one for you, miss."

"Thanks!" she said. "I'll wait while you copy down the data of the CD…"

It was funny, but when I closed the shop all the _Beyoncee_'s CDs were sold out, thanks to her looking at them and commenting them. Even when she didn't liked pop, or do I think.

When I went out of the shop after work I saw my friends were waiting for me out, just against a good car.

"And that?" I asked. "Don't sit there or the owner will kill you."

"Nobu, let me introduce you to my new car." Isa said smiling.

"What?!" I said astonish for the news.

"I needed a vehicle so I bought this one." She said smiling while Shin smiled in fun as he put off his cig in order to open the door to sit in.

It was a wonderful Jaguar XKR 100 Coupe and Convertible; a car which was really exclusive and worth over $98,330. I nearly faint when I saw the car.

"Damn… I don't think I can drive it well." She said when she sat inside.

"And where did you got it?" I finally asked with little voice.

"Her father sent it to her." Shin said. "A present for her birthday."

"Hey, he always forget." She said. "I'm happy this time he has just done this a week before it."

It was true, her birthday was to be the following week, and the same day she would be with us, giving a concert to get some money for charity. I suppose Trapnest were acting too, but I could never know. And I knew other singers and bands such as Ayumi, Anna Tsuchiya and Olivia, were performing too.

Anyway, I wondered how powerful her family was so as to send her such an expensive present.

"This time I'm keeping it. But just cause I need a car and cause I like the colour." She said starting the car. "Ok, fasten your safety belts." She advised starting the engine and making the car roar slightly. "Let's go and look for Yasu and then we could go to relax a bit."

"But we had to get Gaia for some papers to the concert next…" I began saying when Shin raised four folders with papers inside.

"We went to look for them before getting here." He told me smiling while she drove fast but respecting the traffic rules. "She called Yasu for telling him and going to that place in the mountains were we were with Nana just before we were getting in this musical world."

I knew where he said we were going. But the previous time we had reached there on a normal car, not this one.

After taking Yasu, we went to the suburbs. And then she smiles.

"Hey, fasten your safety belts, please." She said when she saw we were about getting out Tokyo. "We are going to make this baby get some fun."

I couldn't understand her words first, but just in case, I also fastened my seatbelt. And suddenly, when we reached the first 100 km/h allowance, she stepped on the accelerator and we went so fast that it seemed we were not touching land. I had to hold my hair in order to keep it combed.

At this speed we reached the place fast. And when we stepped out of the car, we were all white as sheets, all but her, who was smiling.

"Ya-san!" Gimpei said worried. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, what a way of driving…" he said trying to recover a bit.

"You!!" Gimpei said to Isa. "What have you done to my dear Yasu!!"

"Nothing, I have just brought them here as I said." She said making the ceiling cover the car again and locking the doors.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Concerts and red threads.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

Finally the charity concert arrived.

We spent the previous four days "caged" on the firm mountains hideout. Training and all. I then was made to run lot of time to make my thoracic capacity improve. What I think none of our managers expected was me running with them with no effort. My friends already knew cause they had seen me, or hear me when I returned and had a shower, or as Yasu, being told. I think Gimpei didn't expect me being able to run backwards on the same direction than them while we were running for a quarter of hour.

I got fun by making him surprised with me.

On the other hand, we also trained once and again, specially me who hummed and sang all the time.

Yasu had taken his laptop with him so as to work on his latest trial defends and that also was useful for me, cause I could begin working on what I missed the previous week, including Trapnest benefits and our owns too. I always got amazed by the high quantities of money both bands got, evident in the high amounts of money we got from our work.

In the spare time, Nobu and I used to chat a bit or just walk. The surroundings were just wonderful. And after Takumi's incident, I was a bit less confident of myself.

The poor Nobu was the one not being guilty and taking all the bad part of it when it should have been that prat of Takumi who should have had it all.

The concert was on the afternoon, just after meal, and there was already people queuing outside the concert hall waiting to see their favourite singer or band.

We could see it on TV.

After having meal in the place, were returned back Tokyo. I was the driver again, and my mates and Mishato, who had come for us, were packed in the same car.

Mishato was nearly crying for the speed I was driving at in the empty road.

I think she was really relief when we reached the city suburbs and I lowered the speed to follow the driving rules. Again, when we stopped my mates were a bit pale, specially Mishato who looked terrified. Luckily Yasu was there to comfort her a bit. We were then taken the making up rooms and made to sit and then to change into fitting clothes.

After having been making up, we were finally allowed to go around till we were to sing. So we had to leave. In case you don't know, women in that kind of events have a changing room and the men have another. That includes the make up rooms that are mixed, and I must say I have never ever stood that. So… I went to the guys' part, wearing what our manager took us. A sexy top showing my belly and a wide white skirt similar to the ones of Reira's dresses. I really looked as a good mix between Nana Oosaki and Reira from Trapnest.

When I reached the changing rooms I knocked on the door and then got in covering my eyes so as not to see anything and not being seen by the staff patrolling outside.

"Hey, girls changing rooms are on the other side of the corridor." Someone told me.

"Sorry, I…" I said looking do the wall next to the door so as to prevent anyone hitting me if they opened the door to get in to look for someone.

"Hey!" a guy said holding my shoulder at my back. "She is not even looking, so what's wrong with you all?! Hey, was something wrong?"

I then looked to a side to see Ren next to Yasu.

I nodded.

"I was bored as I soon ended." I said smiling and looking back to the wall.

"Ok, could you wait out, please?" Yasu said softly. "We don't mind if you see us, but here is not just us."

"Hey, we don't mind either." Ren said.

"If it has to be someone… I don't mind her." Takumi said then.

"Where are the rest?" I said softly.

"Isa!!!" Shin said running to hug me. "You have come to see us!!"

"To hear you." I said joking. "I am not going to turn and look."

"Nobu is still on his underwear…" Shin said softly and sexily at my ear.

"Perhaps you would like to have a look?" Ren added.

"I think I will wait out." I said going a bit pink. "Well, I wait out… yes."

I was to leave and when I closed the door I heard some laughs and jokes inside. I suppose they didn't though that a lady would get in their changing room. But the truth was that I was really bored outside. I just stood there, waiting for a friendly face to get out so I could get some fun.

Then I was sawn there by Gimpei-sama.

"Hey! What are you doing there?" he asked me.

"I'm bored, Gimpei-sama!" I said doing a funny face. "I just wanted to chat with my friends, but there are lot of guys inside!"

"Wha! You can't get in there!" he told me off. "That's men changing room! You are a lady!"

"I didn't know there were more men in there!" I answered him. "I thought it was just Nobu, Shin and Yasu!"

"You can't get in there even if they were alone!" He told me off again.

"Here, here. Gimpei, our girl must be a bit bored." The old man from our agency, who I think was the one managing to get Blast for Gaia, said patting him on the back. "But he is right. You can't get in the male changing rooms."

"Sorry, sir." I said looking down.

"Ok, ok." He said smiling. "I suppose you are right to be bored. Why don't you get to the hairdresser's area and begin getting ready? That would allow you to entertain a bit."

"But… ok." I said.

"And you could chat Reira, I think she is already there as they act two bands before you." The old man said smiling warm.

"I preferred chatting with Ren or my friends… but ok." I said then smiling. "I think she is nice too. Well, tell the rest I went there, see you late!"

I then began walking fast towards what I supposed would be the hairdresser's room.

**Ren's Part.**

We were changing clothes into what would be the concert ones when suddenly someone knocked on the door and Isa got in giving us the back to stop on a side of the door after closing it.

"Hey, girls changing rooms are on the other side of the corridor." Someone told her.

"Sorry, I…" she said looking to the wall.

"Hey" I said holding her shoulder at my back. "She is not even looking, so what's wrong with you all?! Hey, was something wrong?"

Then Yasu walked next to her wearing his shirt half buttoned and the tie loose.

She nodded.

"I was bored as I soon ended." She said smiling and looking back to the wall.

"Ok, could you wait out, please?" Yasu told her softly. "We don't mind if you see us, but here is not just us."

"Hey, we don't mind either." I added.

I didn't thought Takumi would care about her seeing him half dressed; and of course Takumi didn't cared at all. He didn't stop asking me about her, once and again.

"If it has to be someone… I don't mind her." Takumi said then.

"Where are the rest?" She then asked softly.

I supposed she was referring to Nobu and Shin, they were at the toilet next door in the room we were, I was about telling her when her cousin appeared.

"Isa!!!" Shin said running to hug her. "You have come to see us!!"

"To hear you." she said apparently joking. "I am not going to turn and look."

"Nobu is still on his underwear…" Shin said softly and sexily at her ear but enough high for me to overhear it.

"Perhaps you would like to have a look?" I asked her joking as Nana would have done.

"I think I will wait out." she said going a bit pink. "Well, I wait out… yes."

When she left, some of us laugh and others began joking about her.

"Stop laughing at my cousin." Shin said serious facing all while Nobu came back.

"At least she has managed to break into here." I added. "What we have still not managed to do on the other way round."

"Hey! I like that girl!" Naoki said. "She is really clever and hot!"

I said how Nobu looked down as he was a bit angry now.

"Ok, let's forget about that and let's begin heating a bit, right?" I said.

"You should say begin getting ready to shine the most." Takumi said looking by the corner of his eye to my friends. "And to make all the public gobsmacked."

It seemed as if Nobu was to hit him but he held his fist down as he looked away with Shin in front of him.

Then my helper got in the changing rooms bringing me a bottle of water.

"She is with your princess, in case you wanted to know." He told me.

I then looked at him. I didn't know they could chat so easily; though with them all could be, the two most unpredictable crazy women I have ever met.

Anyway I smiled.

"That's good news." I said. "Women get along better among them."

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"Thanks." I said bowing as I smiled wide. "It's been a pleasure! For the kids!" I said holding one of the soft tedy bears and hand maded dolls fans thew us on our performance.

That made audience cheer perhaps even more.

Then the presenters came to announce the following band so we left for the backstage where Mishato gave us some fresh water bottles to refresh.

"You were wonderful!" she told us.

"Thank you." I said on English smiling and making her go pink and my mates smile in fun. "Nah, the truth is we did it for those poor people."

"I think that was a good idea." Yasu said. "Even when more than half of the money got here will end up on the wrong hands…"

"Funny." Gimpei said handing him a towel. "I though that was all given for the cause."

"You are still too innocent, Gimpei-sama." Shin said pulling his leg.

"I meant this time!" he said trying to defend himself.

It was funny, I think the camp was good because that allowed us to met better our staff members, specially me cause I had the funny intuition of the rest of the band already knowing most of the staff and just me being the one not knowing them.

In the lake we were fishing, the rest told me they already went on that the previous times they were there. And I found it funny.

It's not too cold or too hot nowadays, so I also went swimming there, and Shin was the one following me. The rest of the people just stayed on the edge looking at us swim and play in the water.

As a result of that, I felt a bit weird for the following day. Even now I feel a bit weird, but that's not for the bath, it's just for women's stuff.

When we ended the concert and went to change ourselves back into our usual robes I was congratulated by some women. Anna Tsuchiya was really nice, and so was Olivia. Not to say Reira. Reira was already finished too, but the other two had to perform a last one. Anyway, I found really surprising and happy when those two great singers with lot of work at their backs congratulated me for my performance. And I really got helpful critics from both of them. I smiled as they told me some little mistakes… not mistakes, things that I could do better. I felt really glad to have had the chance of getting a professional hand to improve.

And Reira was not so dry as I thought would be for us being rivals. She was a really cheerful kind of girl. We spoke about us and then Shin.

"I think he is a bit as a lost matter." I said joking as I de-made me up. "But I love him. As cousin, I mean."

"He is really a good guy." Reira told me smiling. "I like him very much. He is a very good guy and friend."

"No need to tell me." I said smiling. "I am now living with him."

"You live at his place?" she asked me worried.

"In fact is the other way round." I said smiling. "He lives in my place. With Nobu, yet Nobu pays for half of the rental and house matters."

Reira then smiled as I talked her about my life with those two.

"I think that's wonderful." She then said dreamily smiling.

"What? To have to clean and fold their underwear?" I asked joking.

"No!" she said laughing. "Sharing your life with someone so easily as you do." She said smiling to keep on dreamily. "Nobu and you are perfect for each other… That's something not so easy to see..."

"Reira, there is also a perfect mate for you." I said smiling to her and holding her hand. "You just have to look better. Furthermore, Nobu and me… well, thanks for the compliment, but we are not so perfect."

"Why not?!" she asked surprised.

"Believe me, I really love him." I said smiling. "But if you met my last boyfriend… he was not similar to him. Not at all."

"Then that's why Nobu matches you so well!" Reira said smiling. "There's a red thread tying two people together."

"And I'm not Nobu's." I said softly. "Nobu's was a certain girl called Nana."

"Nana had two threads, and so has Nobu." Reira said smiling. "So I had, unluckily for me, the one I was attached to have his thread tied to someone else…" she added sadly.

"That's not true." I said smiling mildly. "I can see a little red thread… yes, look, over here." I said managing to show her one of my hairs I had managed to cut from me and showing her as if it was one of the red threads of love fate. "You had another thread… it's just you have still not found who the other end is tied to." I said smiling mildly.

She looked at my hair with her mouth half open and then held it. I could see some tears beginning to appear on her eyes.

"You know what?" I then said. "I met two men with that similar to you, I doubt it could be Peter or _Topogigo_. But my cousin had also a thread with no visible ending…" I said ending de-making myself up and looking at her after closing my make up box. "Maybe you should check your thread is not tied to his back." I added smiling while Mishato came in to help me.

**Reira's Part.**

Red threads of fate… it was funny she used my own words to tell me about my love fate. I couldn't understand how she could understand me so well. Ren and Naoki had told me she was really amazing, but I didn't expect her to be so amazing.

It was funny she had guessed up Shin had also a cut thread as Nobu should have had when his last girlfriend got married to my prince, Takumi.

I loved Takumi on a weird and ill way. I had always thought he would end up by loving me, but instead he married that Nana girl he made pregnant. Now I was in love (somehow) with the guitarist of our enemy band. Blast was the only band always competing with us.

First on Ren's girlfriend's times and now with that red haired girl. I wonder if her hair is natural or dyed.

"European?" I asked her once some time ago.

"From the world." She answered smiling.

It was funny that, just that trap girl, that wanderer, that funny cheeky girl who managed to get all men's attention cause of her personality and body, was the only one able to see things I forced myself to hide and deny. Just her had guessed up who I loved with no need of telling her. Takumi is mad when he finds out I have chatted with Shin.

"He is an under aged!" he shouts at me once and again. "He is our enemy too!"

But he never tells Ren off if he goes to play Mah-Jong or cards with them.

"Do you also believe on the red threads?" I asked her while taking the red hair she has taken from her to make me think it was a red thread.

"Sure." She said winking. "I want to believe on the things you sing about."

"Why?" I asked her. "Why do you want to believe on them?"

"Hopelessly in love." She just answered me. "And cause I am fan of yours, well, of your voice." She said smiling.

"I… You're so cute!!" I said hugging her neck.

She then smiled as she went pink as a guy could have gone if I hugged him.

"And why you say you are hopelessly in love?" I then asked when she managed to make me stop making her embarrass.

"Cause there's a frozen cover in my heart that prevents me from suffering so also from love…" she answered me looking down sadly but smiling.

Suddenly she appeared tender from my point of view. Even when she appeared to want to give the opposite image, I could see some tenderness inside her too.

"I don't think you have a frozen heart." I nearly whispered her while our mates came. "It's just you have still not found someone who you think."

She then looked at me and smiled softly.

"Thanks, Leyla." She said softly.

I don't know how was that she knew my name, but I smiled back.

"Do you mind if Shin is not home tomorrow?" She asked me.

"If you don't tell your 'demon', then ok." She whispered me as Takumi called me outside the room.

I giggled and then went out.

"Damn, were you ok?" Takumi asked me with Ren lying against the wall and Naoki buzzing around. "You took too long to get out."

Behind me, Blast singer walked out smiling and towards the exit where her friends were.

"Takumi, if you don't mind I'll leave." Ren told him. "I think you don't need me here any longer, do you?"

"Hey, no drugs tonight." He told him. "There's recording tomorrow."

He was really cold sometimes. I thought his wife would change him a bit, but it seems he has not improved barely anything.

"Don't worry." He said then putting off his cig on the wall. "I have planed a Mah-Jongg party tonight. Well, see you tomorrow then."

"Ren!" Naoki said. "Please, if you are going with a beautiful woman take me with you!"

"No thanks." Ren answered poking him on his forehead. "There's just Mah-Jongg."

I then smiled as I said goodbye to him. Then he left and I saw how he joined the Blast friends next to him.

For a weird reason, their singer, the red haired lash, passed her arm around his neck and around the blond one to walk together out of the place.

It was funny, but suddenly, that girl wearing as a posh-punk girl, seemed happier than a cute model wearing an Armani.

"Reira, hey!" Takumi told me.

"Sorry, you were saying?" I said going back to earth while the others left.

"I'm returning home, do you want me to take you to your place?" he asked me.

"Ok." I said smiling mildly.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Mah-Jongg and future.**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

That night, Ren came with us to my place. I was used to any of them coming to spend the night at my place too. Furthermore, I was happy to have them there. I felt less lonely.

Shin and Nobu had already settled there, so I was no alone again.

That night, Yasu and Ren were the ones taking Shin and Nobu again to their beds.

Yasu left after having a last play with just Ren and me.

"Well, I'm leaving too." Ren said taking his leather jacket.

"Hey, you can stay here for the night." I said smiling. "You know, there's a room for you if you want one."

"I don't want to annoy." He told me smiling mildly.

"It's not annoyance!" I said taking his jacket again. "C'mon, stay here, and if you have to leave just close the door after you get out." I said smiling. "It's late for driving back home yourself and you have drunk a bit."

He seemed to think a bit but then he smiled as he closed the door again.

"You can't live without us." He said smiling as he walked with me to his room.

I have finally ended settling the last room, the guest one. So now it was Shin's room, Nobu's one that was a guest room if needed, my own room and the main guest room.

However, that night was funny. And I mean it cause of what we spoke the following morning.

I was getting in my bed just wearing a baggy t-shirt that was so long that looked as a short dress when Nobu got in my room as usually after knocking.

He just lay by my side and we fell asleep hugged.

In my dreams I saw the weird thing.

I was wearing smart black trousers, a black sleeveless shirt and a long white jacket that reached lower than my bottom.

I also realised on the fact I had a golden ring on my finger showing me I was married.

"Isa, dear. Time for singing the new song." It was Nobu who was talking to me. He then got to my back and hugged me to kiss me while he moved his hands at my belly. "You work too much." He added looking at the papers I was writing and making out tons of money balances and that kind of stuff.

"I have to if we want to raise them." I said smiling as I ended noting down some numbers and closing the Gaia economy notebook for that month. "Where are the little imps?"

"Nobu is playing with Reira and Shin, and Nana is trying to take your place again, or so do I think." He said holding my hand lovely. "Really I feel bad allowing you to work so much. I should have taken my family's hotel and…"

I put my finger over his lips to make him go silent while I smiled.

"Don't say nonsense." I said smiling as we went down in the lift. "I am not going to allow you doing it if I can work. You have to play guitar for us. The music you create makes thousand of people happy, I am happy and our children are more than happy."

Then I saw Miss Ichinose who came to look for her husband Takumi with their child Shin Jr. holding her hand.

She was wearing a cute shirt from Armani and a blue Prada's skirt. She always knew how to wear with great designer's clothes.

"Hatchi!" I said happily. "Nice to see you around. Came for your husband?"

"Yes!" she said smiling mildly as always. "We wanted to surprise him!"

"And look who we have here!" I added kneeling to face little Shin. "Prince Shin. Oh, Nobu Jr. is up playing with uncle Shin. Run!"

Shin and Nobu Jr. were like brothers, even when Shin was about 3 to 4 years elder than Nobu. Nana was a different matter; she was just 4 now, a year younger than her brother. Nobu and I usually made her wear cute robes matching girl she was. Unlikely to me on our spare time or concerts. Anyway, now I was about 27, I tend to wear more normal women's robes, especially for work. It's not hard at all for me because I was brought up on a good family.

When the kid left, we chatted with Nana a bit more.

"How are you taking it along now?" I asked her. "If you need any help…"

"It is ok." She said smiling. "Takumi is a good father despite of being an awful husband."

She was divorced and had the kid's custody. She just got divorced a year ago.

"Hatchi… if there's anything we can do…" Nobu said then.

"No!" she said as if she was a bit embarrassed. "I have all I could want to."

It was true, neither Nobu nor me expected it. Well, I had the impression of it, deep, very deep inside me. Yet I really hoped it was just a jealousy product and just a silly thought.

Nobu seemed a bit angry at both Nanas in the past, so I was the bound between Hatchi and him. And now she was divorced from Takumi, Nobu seemed to have finally gone friend with her again. I was not jealous of her, even if I knew about their past together and their son had taken everything from Nana with Takumi's perfect nose, but Nobu's cheeks. We had a little time off in which I went out with Ren, but it was just a mistake. I felt something for him, that was true, but was nothing else than deep friendship.

Anyway, I knew I had nothing to be afraid of. I was the red thread connected to Nobu's heart and Nana Ichinoise was a cut one with no chance of being retied.

When we went back up to where the bands recorded and trained, Trapnest were already done and Yasu and the rest were up. I forgot saying Yasu is dating Nana Oosaki now, I think they are thinking on getting married. I was happy for them. Shin was also there with Reira.

And as soon as Takumi saw us, he went immediately mad. From all the people he didn't want to see Nobu was the number one. He held Nana's hand and walked to the lift with her.

"Hey, don't dare to hurt her." I said holding his arm softly. "That would be harassment."

He removed his arm from me and released her while he asked her to get down with him, to speak about their son.

I still was one of the people he could stand, and somehow liked a bit. He said we were not so different, but I think we are as ice and fire; too different for mixing up.

"You should not face him like that." Ren told me.

"Sorry, but Reira and me are the only ones that seem to dare to face him." I said serious. "If he dares to hurt her again I swear I kill him."

"Ok, ok." Nobu said rubbing my shoulders. "Relax or you will have another…"

"I'm ok." I said smiling softly.

It was true, I had a little nervous attack when Nobu and I broke up, another one when Nana found out Takumi's betrayal and I beat him up. He was hit so badly by me that he was taken to hospital where he stayed for a day. And I was also taken to hospital cause of the worst of the nervous attacks I got till that day. Then they thought I had hyperpnoea, but it was false. I was not ill from that.

Yet I think the last one was one of those attacks. All I can remember was me seeing all red, wanting to beat Takumi so badly that his face turned into a shapeless thing and making him feel more pain than what he made to his wife.

Then when my friends managed to separated me from him, all I could do was to cry and I felt as if air was missing at my lungs, a drowning sensation. Next thing I remember was lying on a hospital bed with my friends by my side. Nobu on my right, Shin on my left and Yasu out coming with a coffee paper cup.

Anyway, singing made me avoid that black reality. Since I was given the chance of joining Blast by Mr. Gimpei and the members, I have never stopped singing.

That's what I'm doing now; we are beginning to record what will be our next CD.

This time it's called "Lash". This was our 5 CD together and each time it seemed as if we had gone no less popular.

Now the house I used to had have changed into a big house with a big garden. All of us have bought our houses on the same neighbourhood. And I still keep my big flat on the centre, just for the times I have to sleep there.

"Dear…" Nobu told me after I managed to make Nana finally asleep and I was watching TV on the bedroom with him by my side. "Do you still remember how we met?"

"Sure." I said smiling. "It was all casual."

"Wasn't it when you came to live with your cousin?" he asked me smiling in fun.

"No!" I said. "Don't tell me you have forgot it?! It was on my first day, I was looking for my own flat to live at Tokyo and suddenly it began raining so I got in the nearest music shop and began looking for CDs."

"I remember!" he said hugging me and tickling me to make me laugh a bit. "You were the last customer I had that day, and when I first saw you I was embarrassed cause you were so amazingly perfect I was a bit intimidated by you presence. And I was even more when I knew you were _Pistols_ fan!"

"But I was not so damned pretty!" I said laughing.

"Sure you are not that pretty." Nobu said going interesting. "Cause you are the prettiest girl in the world." He added looking at me from the corner of his eye.

I then smiled as we kissed.

It was funny, after all this time, after all the things that had happened to us… we kept on being together.

I saw then how nights had not changed much from now to then. Just cause in the bed we were not wearing the pyjamas we were wearing now.

We were, as Reira or I would say, tied by a red fate thread.

A thread that in both were once cut and that for a reason, now was so thick that not even the best scissors in the world could cut it.

I smiled as we had a really good night in the dreams.

It was true I had two kids with Nobu, but it was because we had decided it to happen; he always respected me, he was all a gentleman.

Even my father had gone happy when I married Nobu, when he found out Nobu was the heir of a hotel chain in Tokyo. He said it was for once in my life a good match, half good cause I could have married to another tycoon as my brother.

The truth is I had never seen Nobu as an heir, just Nobu, my friend Nobu, my beloved Nobu; the one that always took care of me and managed to make me feel well even if I had a bad day. The one I wanted to spend a whole life with…

I smiled as I saw what was supposed to be a usual night in our married life. It was funny, I swear, but always full of respect and love from both sides.

Perhaps it could sound weird, but I have never being treated so well by anyone in my family. Not even my old friends respected me as much as Nobu seemed to respect me. Not to say my boyfriends. Even Renato (_Topogigo_) has never respected me so much. Yes there was love between us, but he never respected me so much as Nobu does.

When we woke up in my dream, he was the one waking me up first. I had already waked up, but it was so early that I decided to try to sleep back.

He woke me up when he hugged me burying his face at my breast as if he was a little kid, smiling I rubbed his hair.

He was tender, the tenderest and caring guy I have ever met. That was what I loved from him. He was what brought harmony to my life.

I had to work hard, that's true, but at least it was in something I liked.

Nobu had told me lot of times that we could go to his hometown and he would take his father's hotel up, but I don't want it. I know he loves playing guitar and that taking up the hotel would be as killing him, so I work for both and he helps me by working at the moving company and the Music store.

Finally after some kisses and mixing up a bit, we get up and begin cooking breakfast and getting the children ready for their school.

Nobu has to work and I will go to Gaia for work after leaving our children at their school. In fact, Yasu is the one coming to look for me and the kids after Nobu left on hurry because he will be late for his work.

So, I was the one driving and when we dropped my kids at their school we went to Gaia.

"So, how are things going with Nana?" I asked him. "Is she better from her disease?"

"Well, yeah." Yasu told me. "All she had to do was relaxing a bit. She must take life as it comes and try not to angst herself too much."

"You know? I thought she was strong, but I suppose even strong women can go like that." I said a bit sadly.

"And what about you?" He asked me. "How are your nerves lately?"

"Well… I try to relax too." I said smiling till Takumi's image came to my mind. "At least while I don't see Takumi and Nana together. That makes me go mad how he treats her. She doesn't deserve it."

Yasu knew what I was speaking about. He was the one telling me all about it all.

When we arrived to the work, he went to his office and I went to mine. Before I was just the economician for Trapnest, Blast and another punk band, but now I was also Blast staff helper, I mean, I help them designing our things; from CDs covers to music ads and all that. And I also was, with Yasu the ones who had to speak about events, interviews and that kind of stuff booking. So lately I had some work to do because we were recording a new CD and Trapnest was about launching another one.

And that evening we had to be interviewed for a youth magazine.

Yes, life was bright for us then, but…

"Wake up dear…" Nobu whispered at my ear.

I came back to reality when he kissed my neck smoothly making me shiver of pleasure.

"Hello…" I muttered kissing him.

"We should begin waking up, it's Saturday but we have things to do. Remember?" he said burying his face at my breast as in my dreams. "Damn… I don't feel like ending this never ever…"

I smiled as I head it, I hugged him softly.

"Do you know what?" I told him. "I've dreamed about future."

"Really?" he said un-burying his face to look at my eyes. "I have the same dream then!"

That made me smile as we seemed to have dreamed about the same, more or less.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: ANOTHER SONG.**

**(BONUS CHAPTER)**

**Isabelle B. Part.**

"Another day is possible.

Just another day."

I was swimming again on my dad's London Hotel's swimming pool.

Cause of the time of the night it was I thought I would bet nobody would care if I had made Joyce, the guy on the reception that night, to put my favourite CD on the hi-fi connected to the swimming pool area.

"Music doesn't understand of countries

or colour or parties."

It was me singing with my guitar base behind me, mixed with some other songs from famous and actual bands, from London and out of Europe. Japanese Trapnest, Red Hot Chilly Peppers… all mixed. But this one was written and composed by me.

"Just on feelings with parts

and broken hearts."

I had my heart broken; my dear boyfriend and I had just split up.

"I want you away from me

you can take your things."

It was me who broke up.

"You hurt my soul

I'll mend it my own."

He has just a prat with real hot body and a really wonderful ability to make me smile. But he was engaged with his work. So I didn't want to be wondering if he was working on the photos or just working on "other women".

"But I'll not cry, nor this time

Just because another day is possible."

So now I was try to hold my tears by swimming the fastest I could on the hotel's swimming pool. Trying to let out my fury and hate towards men and myself for being silly enough for last with Renato for so long.

"I'll fight to be still cause

Another day is possible.

Just another day."

(Ren's voice)

I had just tried to speak with Nana, but she just ignores my calls. I just wanted to speak to her cause I wanted to know if she was ok, to tell her I would be by her side whatever it happened, but I wasn't able to speak to her...

"C'mon Ren." Naoki told me trying to make me cheer up. "She is just a black widow! She just wants to get fame for being you girlfriend!"

"Naoki, you don't know her." I told him. "I know she will stand it and a thousand like that, she would never allow me to give her a hand, she is really proud; and even though I love her."

"I think your problem is you are mad." He told me.

"But lately I think I love her less…" I said sighing.

I had already told Reira, that was why yesterday she found me at the dry bathtub, drunk and crying.

I loved her, but lately I think perhaps I love her less than before…

"What you need is to have some fun!" Naoki said. "I know, I know some cute woman here. I'll call one and tell her to bring a friend so you will have a good night and you will forget about that cheeky girl. Just remember to ask her for no lower than 690 pounds, just cause we are famous."

"Naoki… that's prostitution…" I said a bit embarrassed of his idiocy.

We were going to the hotel bar when we saw a bunch of men from the hotel staff, and perhaps two or three customers, looking through what looked as a glass wall. They were so concentrated on it that didn't even hear us arrive.

"Hey, what's going on here?" I asked.

"Is anyone giving free samples around?" Naoki asked then.

People then looked at us and we were allowed to get to first line. At first I didn't saw anything but that it was a swimming pool there. Big, indoors, well cared… some benches on the sides, a metallic chair on the right and a trampoline on the side to the glass panes vision camp. Nothing out of usual.

"What's of fun in looking an empty swimming pool?" Naoki asked.

"There." A man said pointing to the middle of the pool where a shadow was now visible, moving fast to the opposite edge of the longest part where it seemed to crash and go to the other side without need of breathing. Then it moved towards our side and when it was lost of sight cause of the pool wall we saw seconds later a red head appear with the eyes closed while a red long haired woman jumped out of the pool as if she was a mermaid with a pair of legs. Then she twisted her hair a bit to whip some water from the hair, after that she tied it fast on a long plate and walked to the trampoline where she climbed to the highest one and after bouncing slightly a bit, she jumped on a clear and clean acrobatic jump to do a perfect entrance in the water, continuing swimming fast on a perfect crawl stile.

It was amazing, we kept on looking for a while and then Naoki got bored.

"Ren… let's go for a drink… please?" he said as begging.

"Go then." I answered him. "I prefer staying here for a bit more."

"Oh…" he said as if he was disappointed. "Ok, I'll bring you something then."

However, when he arrived back three quarters of hour later, I was still looking to the lady that had not stopped for a single second but for floating a bit to keep on swimming fast.

"She must have taken too much drugs." Naoki said then. "Does she still keep on swimming?"

"Yep, and she has not stop but for floating a bit before." I said.

"As I said, too much drugs." Naoki said. "I had already heard about those girls that over take them, not over take, they take different kind of drugs…"

Then she went out of the pool while I kept on staring at her while Naoki was in the middle of one of his never ending speeches.

I think she didn't noticed us at first, cause she took her time to twist her hair to remove the most water she could from it, then she came to the benches down the window so I got in the pool area and saw she was drying her hair a bit with the towel she must had taken from one of the benches and dried her body first cause it was more or less dry.

Then she raised her head and noticed us.

"Heya, you must be strong for swimming for so long." I just said trying her not to be threatened by Naoki and me being there. "My name is Ren, and he is Naoki."

"Hi. Isabelle." She said smiling wide. "Not from here, are you? Oh, you must be those Japanese musicians on the east wing of the 4th floor. Wanted to use the pool? Sorry."

"No, no." I said. "The truth is…"

"Ah!!!" Naoki said astonished. "You are that girl that appeared on the magazines this month!! The one with cute big breast!!!"

She then covered herself better with the towel as if she wanted to hide it from us.

Perfect Naoki managed to make her feel uneasy about us. Though… now he mentioned, it was true. She was just the same girl appearing on the magazine Takumi showed me to tell me about Nana's and mine scandal.

"Excuse Naoki." I told her. "He is just a… big mouthed brainless guy."

"Ren!!" he said as crying. "I want her to sign the photo!! She has a cute breast!!!"

"Ok, get lost blondy." I then said. "You are just making her go frightened."

"I would be feeling better if you just allowed me to… put something else than a bikini on." She said relaxed and as if it was obvious.

"Sure." I said. "Though you are just wonderful like that."

"Keep preferring wearing something else." She said picking what looked as a dress from the bench. "If you don't mind waiting, it will just take me a minute."

Then she picked what looked as an earphone from her bag and put it on her ear.

"Jasper, please could you send me the blackberry to the swimming pool?" she said then. "No, two guests found me. But don't worry, they are trustable, they will not say anything… Thanks, you are lovely." Then she turned to us while she kept on trying to dry her hair with the towel that was now wrapping the hair. "It will just take me a couple of minutes when... Thanks, Vivian. You have being really fast this time! A minute then." She corrected herself while the little lady left fast.

It was true, she just took one minute and three seconds on my watch to get out the toilet wearing the dress while I noticed she had wore the things she was taken under the dress.

"Ok, I suppose you will not mind if we chat somewhere else." She said smiling as she held her hair back with a net-like hair band.

"I would not mind it was your room…" Naoki said being hit by me.

"No, the staff gives a party tonight on the ballroom number three cause Eve, the waitress has engaged to her boyfriend."

"Is there alcohol?" I asked.

"Yeah!" she said smiling after thinking. "I also need it tonight. So, we have a deal?"

"You have a deal with me." I said smiling.

"Count me too!" Naoki said. "I'll also tell Reira and Takumi!"

"Takumi left, idiot." I remembered him. "And I doubt Reira will come as she is taking those pills for sleeping."

"Is she ill?" she asked.

"Somehow." I said. "Depressed."

When we arrived we saw the party was brutal. Music filled the soundproof room. Punk, rap, dj music, Latinos… all kind of music. What looked as all the staff but for the basical for night turn were already there. When our just met girl came in she was welcomed by everyone there.

(Isa's voice)

"Hey, I'm sorry about…" Stu, the security guard told me.

"If you need anyone's shoulder to cry over you know I'm here for anything you can need." Monique, the receptionist said then hugging me.

"I'm ok, really!" I said trying to fake everything was all right.

"You have now begun to live again!" Eddy the cook said.

"Yeah, if you want I could introduce you to some friends!" Pedro, the Spanish animation leader told me holding my hand to take me to the dance floor. "¿Bailas?"

"Clarro." I said joking in his mother language.

Then I was carried to the dance floor where I stayed going from one to the other's arms for about eleven songs till I managed to go to the bar where Ren and Naoki were drinking.

"Sorry." I said. "You know, the guys… Ah, just what I needed!" I said spotting a vodka bottle and taking it to serve myself.

"You didn't mention you were the bosh here." Ren told me. "The boss and you have fun with your workers, really weird." He said smiling.

"Just try to live my life and I can assure you will end up worse than me." I told him. "Nah, they are all friends. Cheers!" I added as some friends wanted to cheer with me.

(Ren's voice)

That girl was really funny. We stayed there for long till the party was over and they began cleaning the room. She wanted to help but was said to take Naoki and me to our rooms and go sleeping. Naoki had fallen asleep some time ago, so I was nearly carrying him as he was really drunk. I was also a bit drunk. Anyway, the girl, who had drank about three times our quantity of booze, was not drunken.

I would love to have stayed longer there and meeting that funny girl deeper, but all I could think about was returning back Tokyo that afternoon. Luckily I could have a nap on the plane.

"Hey, here." I told the girl the following day. "I'd love to give you this. For the party invitation last night." I whispered. "That's us Trapnest and Blast, my last band."

"Oh!!" she said. "I remember, your girlfriend's one! Thanks."

"And if you come Tokyo any time… well, I suppose you could call me." I said. "I think I put my number on your pocket last night."

"Yes." She said showing me the paper. "I had it. Hope you to have a nice travel and to come back soon."

"Ren!!" our manager said. "We are leaving! Fast!"

I kissed her cheek before leaving as their tradition told, but Reira began kidding at me on the plane back home.

"Ok, Reira, enough." I said. "I don't think I can find her again."

"Ah, but you keep the hope." She said smiling.

That was for sure. I would keep the hope of finding her again, yet I knew it would be nearly imposible.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: FLAMES ON THE WORK.**

**(BONUS CHAPTER)**

**Yasu's Part.**

"Ok, Gimpei- sama." I said. "Yes, I'll make sure."

It was good news that Gaia allowed me to get out of the mountains for some hours. I already had to work for my attorney buffet and I had to go to get some information from one of our customers. A tycoon that owned the Lotus hotels from all Japan and all over the world. He had not been suited but our customer was living there. A man wanting to suit his wife for taking control of his business when the pre-matrimonial agree had settled really clear that he would take it in divorce case.

I have never liked this kind of stuff, but if I want to have a work I have to take them too.

We were going through a street when we saw it, a big TV. panel on a building front where news about music were being showed. There was the photo of Trapnest and then ours. I then noticed Reira.

She was cute as always, I sometimes feel a bit bad about having allowed us to break up when they came to Tokyo for becoming pros.

"I'm not going to go away this village." I have told her.

Sometimes I regretted it a bit. But perhaps it was the best choice to do.

She loved Takumi, I always knew. I wonder if last time I saw her she wasn't crying because she found out Takumi was marrying Nana K.

ON the other hand, I also loved our singer, Nana Oosaki. She could be rough and a bit too malish, but I really loved and admired her, despite of all the previous. But she loved someone else, so all left for me to do was to guard her, help her whenever she needed always from the shadows unless she asked for help. I would always give her a hand and I'd never ever tell her about my feelings.

Unless they are revealed, and that day is today.

When I walked out of the car and into the hotel lounge I was took some photos, and what looked as a reporter asked me some questions I didn't even answered.

"You have been seen on TV hitting a press member to protect your singer Nana Oosaki from press bulling. Is it true you two are in love?" the man asked me. "What do Ren think about it?"

I was to turn and hit him when a woman stepped between both holding the microphone with just one hand and the camera objective with the other one.

"Please, no press allowed in here unless the famous asked for allowance first." She said serious. "If you want to interview him just have thought it before and have asked the head for a conference room to be prepared for this. Thanks."

"Hey!" the journalist said upset. "Who do you think you are? How do you dare to interfere in our work?"

"I'm someone who don't stand rule breaking in here." She said while she called a security guard who was patrolling near us to come. "So I would thank you left and stop bulling our customers. Hideku? Please, show this gentleman the way to the exit."

"Yes, missus." The man said before holding the journalist and the camera man's robes to guide them to the exit. "This way, sirs."

Then she turned to me and bowed slightly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. attorney." She said. "Please, allow me to guide you to the meeting room. Your customer is already waiting for you there."

"Thank, miss." I said a bit surprised on how she had dealt with the 'mosquitoes'.

"Press members can be a bit annoying sometimes." She said. "And we take great care of our guests. If they are to be interviewed they must ask for allowance and then we settle a meetings room for them to give the press round."

"All a good guests' intimacy protection." I agreed. "I suppose we should come here more often, if this was less luxurious."

"Our guests are our main importance matter." She said as we reached a door. "Well, here you are, sir. I hope you are comfortable in here. If anything needed just call the Room service and ask for it."

"Thanks." I said.

Now I was a bit curious about the young lady. She had long hair tied on a perfect combed hair style under a channel hat covering it and a barely suntanned skin. She wore as if she was a good family miss and she looked about Nana and Nobu's age.

"Excuse me, miss." I said as she turned around to leave. "Could I at least have the pleasure of knowing such a correct missus' name?"

She took a bit to answer but then she smiled gently.

"My name is Isabelle L." She answered me. "Nice to meet you, sir…"

"Yasu." I answered as we shook hands. "It's the easiest to remember."

"Then call me Isa." She said smiling. "It's also easier to remember."

She then walked away while I knocked on the door and got in. My customer was already there, waiting for me while he had a cup of something.

He invited me to seat and then we began the meeting. It was a bit long and all. When we ended we shook hands to show we reached an agreement.

When we left he went up to his room to get something and I was to leave. Then, when I was calling for a taxi I saw her again. She was getting in a taxi and then saw me so she waved at me.

"Hello, Yasu." She said smiling. "Were waiting for a taxi?"

"Yes, I need to get to Shibuya." I answered putting my cig off again. "You?"

"What a coincidence!" she said smiling. "I was going there too! Wanna share taxi?"

"I suppose that'd not be proper…" I said.

"Oh, c'mon. Take the taxi then." She said smiling. "I'm not on hurry." She added going down the taxi.

I was about getting in the taxi when I felt it was less correct to leave her there when she got the taxi than to share it.

"Miss, I've thought better." I said. "Sharing will be ok."

"Ok." She said smiling to get in the taxi while I held the door open for her to get in. "Did the meeting went ok?"

"Somehow." I answered her. "We reached an agreement so I suppose it was ok, yes."

She smiled mildly. I think I liked her smile, a bit mysterious but cute anyway.

When we arrived Shibuya I wanted to pay for the whole bill, but she put half of the money in my hand.

"I like to pay for half of the shared things." She said smiling. "Hope to see you again, Mr. Yasu."

That was the last time I saw her.

When I got in Shibuya the car that would drive me to Gaia, where I should pick some Gaia staff things for the recording at the mountain camp, I saw her going out of a shop carrying some little bags with her beautiful smile.

Some hours later I was back at the hotel where I forgot picking up my folder with the customer's declarations. In the lobby I was made to go with one of the staff members to look for the staff boss who was the one keeping my folder as he realised it was something really important and valuable.

While I was made to follow him I saw some pictures on the walls, being ornament for the decoration.

There in one of the walls was a portrait of the girl I saw; I could recognise her beautiful smile and those green eyes anywhere.

"Oh, sir." Man said coming with the guide. "I suppose you have came to look for this. Here, you forgot it on the meeting room so our staff found it and handed it to me. I suppose this stuff is really important." He added handing it to me.

"Who is the lady of the portrait?" I asked.

"Ah, she is our owner's daughter. Miss Isabelle L. Okanzaki." The head of the hotel said to then look to the portrait. "She is a good and brilliant lash. I've saw her here from time to time. She is now here on vacation with her brother and the owner. A really nice lady, I must add. Not a single drop of superiority on her veins. Not at all. Sometimes we have to remember her she has not to do anything here, that that's our work, but she seems to forget it too often." The man said nearly laughing. "That makes her father and brother mad at her. She really doesn't behaves as a lady as her should."

"She doesn't live here?" I asked.

"No!" he added now laughing. "She is half Japanese if that's what you meant, but no, she lives not here. Miss is attending now to Oxford university. Economicist. We hope she will one day take after us."

Funny, the lash I met before was the owner of the hotel, but she behaved not as such thing. I wanted to know more about her, but then a man with serious face got in the room. He looked at me and then at the man I was chatting with.

"Mister Kokuto." The man said serious. "I have looked at the numbers, they are wrong again."

"Sorry, sir." The man apologized.

"Thanks for keeping it for me, sir." I told the nice man. "I'd have gone though a big problem if I had lost it. Good afternoon." I added bowing my head.

"Good afternoon." Both men said at once.

When I closed the door I head the second man shouting in rage at the one who kept my stuff till I went back. "We have lost some money!"

I couldn't understand how that man could stand to be treated like that, but I had no right to say a single thing in there.

I left the hotel and the car took me back to the mountain camp.

There Nana was training on the insonorised room while Nobu, Shin, Gimpei and the rest were at the control room hearing her.

"Hey, Yasu!" Nobu said smiling. "How was the trip?"

"Did you bring a present for us?" Shin said appearing as if he was a little kid and I came back from a long trip abroad.

"I have just gone Tokyo to deal with something and back here." I said a bit embarrassed for the whole situation. "Here, Gimpei-sama." I added handing him the papers and stuff he asked me to pick when I were finish with my things and ready to go back to the camp.

"Arigato gosaimas, Yasu!" he told me as if he was a woman.

"Did you do anything else apart form work?" Nobu asked me smiling.

"Well… no." I said deciding that the casual meeting of the hotel owner daughter who I supposed I would never ever see again was not important enough for telling. "I just worked and went to pick that from Gaia."

"Geez!!" Shin said. "If I were allowed to go Tokyo for a whole day I would have came back here in the late night and had the most fun I could!"

Nobu laughed and I smiled while the staff told Shin off. Yes, perhaps I should have spent some time in Tokyo today for myself. Perhaps going along with the mysterious girl, but instead I just did the things I had went to do and gone back. What I did was buying some strawberry cake for Nana. She loved it, so I thought it would be as a present for her now she was a bit sad and angry cause of Ren leaving for London.

It was first time he did and it was just two days till Trapnest would return to Tokyo. In fact I think Takumi is already here, according to Shin's last news from Reira.

"Hey, Baldy." Nana told me when she saw me. "You have missed us that much that you have come so soon?"

"I thought you could be making staff mad again." I told her joking.

She shouted at me angry again while I smiled.

That night after dinner Nobu and Shin had cooked for all and that as result was a bit bad, I was to Nana's room to speak a bit while we smoke. It was then when I handed her the cake piece.

"What's this for, Baldy?" I asked.

"I just came across this cake I thought you could like it." I said smiling. "I hope you go a bit sweeter now, you have been a bit sour lately."

Again that made her complain while I let out some smoke puffs, suddenly the face with green eyes of that lady came to my mind again.

She seemed sweet, a great lady from a good family. Opposite to us that came from the dumpsters but for Nobu who was a runaway young.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: VIDEOCLIP.**

**Yasu's Part.**

"Gimpei-sama." I called him. "We think this one is the right one."

"Are you sure?" He asked me. "I mean… the letter is good, but perhaps the recording of the video clip…"

"C'mon!" Isabelle said playfully as she dropped one of the 'numbers notebooks' as she called the accounts' books she was working with, over his table. "It could be a good idea. Do a poll at streets and you will see how that song is one of the favourite ones among fans and customers in general. You know it could work."

"Furthermore, it's one of our favourites." I said trying to give a hand.

"Yes, but hiring everyone needed… it's not going cheap." He said. "Then also finding the place, getting everything ready there…"

I thought he was trying to persuade us into recording the easiest one, but it would not work on us, not this time.

"You know it will help us getting more money." Isa said sitting as a proper lady on a chair. "And we could find a good place ourselves. Mishato, for example! She has good taste for that, and she has some free time lately. She could help finding the perfect place, and my cousin has lot of free time, I seriously think perhaps too much. I could drive them to where they want and then pick them up."

I really thought she was amazing sometimes, she certainly had guts, I didn't knew why she had fought her family if she had so much guts and then allowed her father to rule all her life till she came here.

**Isa's Part.**

Finally, after some time inactive we were to record a video clip for one of our songs, the problem was which one. Yasu suggested one, the one we all Blast liked the most: _Rose and Princes_, which told our stories, mainly focused to the relations parts. It would be a bit deal to record it cause we needed to move from a place to another, but perhaps we could do it.

Finally after some time arguing with Gimpei he agreed to appoint a meeting for dealing with it. That meant next day we should have meal all together; Nobu, Shin, Yasu, Gimpei, two bosses and me. But we got it; it was now just matter of a day that we had the meeting and the allowance to record it.

And so was, the following day we had the meeting and we discussed the matter.

We won; we would record the video clip and see if our expectations were done.

"Yep!" Shin said "Our first videoclip from the new album!"

"That's so exciting!" Nobu said happily too.

"How is to record it?" I then asked.

"Oh, that's true…" they then said stopping their joy looking ashamed. "You have not done any yet…"

"Now you are making me feel ashamed…" I thought showing my game.

"It's a recording the ads for your father's hotels but singing and hearing music while you do." Yasu told me putting out the remains of his cig while he put down his mah-jongg tokens as he was won again.

"You have done ads for your father?" Ren asked me. "I knew you had made some sexy photos for magazines, but ads…?"

"Well… I was my father's hotels face for years." I recognised as I stood up to go and look for another beer for me.

Then I found the fridge was empty from booze.

"Nobu, Shin!" I said. "Who drank the last booze and didn't buy more?"

"It was Nobu's turn." Shin said.

"Ok, go both and buy some if that's so important for you." Ren said then.

"It's ok." Nobu said. "I can go and carry them myself."

"No, I'd rather not to leave you alone this late in the night." I said cleaning my hands. "Ok, Shin, you settle the dishwasher. I want to see it working when we come back, right?"

**Ren's Part.**

"She looks as a mother, doesn't she?" I then said.

"She takes care of those two." Yasu told me while looking at the cards I had just gave him. "So she has to be a bit hard sometimes."

I then imagined how she dealt with Nobu and Shin as a mother and her sons and I had to hold my laugh when I imagined Nobu and her at the bed.

"I can't see her as Nobu's mother." I said. "She is his woman."

"What are you thinking, pervert?" Yasu told me then a bit embarrassed.

"Don't tell Nobu, but I would kill to have a girl as her." I then said.

"Then that's why you have come here so often when we join here for meals." Shin said.

"It's understandable." Yasu then told me softly as he lighted another cig. "Even her cousin sees her as a woman instead of family."

"Also you?" I asked him smiling as I played my cards.

"Yes, but I'll never steal her from Nobu." He said playing his cards too.

"Geez, that's your problem." Shin said coming to our side. "You don't dare to fight for the woman you like…"

I must agree with Shin, Yasu never dared to fight for the girls he loved if that meant crossing certain line.

First was not wanting to follow Reira to Tokyo; then when Nana, he followed her after a bit to Tokyo to play with her singing; now with Isa, he even didn't dare to say he loved her too. He didn't dare to try to steal the woman he loved from other men's arms as Nobu had tried to do to Takumi.

"That's your problem." Shin said showing his game, winning us again. "None of you dare to fight for the women you love. That's same as loosing."

**Nobu's Part.**

Finally we had arrived the 24 hours store and I was carrying the basket full of wine, sake and beers. I was looking at vodka when I realised Isa was not there. Then I moved looking for her till I saw her standing in front of the frozen meats stand. She seemed to be looking at some meat, or perhaps the announce of the summer beginning party.

"Hey, do you feel like that meat?" I asked her smiling.

"I was wondering… it's 15 June today." She said.

"Yes, and?" I asked.

"Nothing." She said smiling. "It was nothing."

"I like this kind of meat." I said taking the packet she was about dropping, and then I smiled. "I have never tried, could… do you mind cooking it for me once? Please…"

She then smiled and took the packet to put it on the basket.

Then we left.

"I was wondering…" I asked her. "There's a little party on the 23rd this month, perhaps you would not mind going with me."

"I'd love to." She said smiling. "The truth is I used to celebrate it on the 24th. But I don't mind doing it a day before."

That was it! She was thinking on the party she used to had! Perhaps I could manage to make Yasu and Shin to come and celebrate it all together. I would invite also Ren, Nana and Hatchi. Just because she seemed to like them, not cause I wanted both Nanas to come and spoil the party.

All the way back home, I carried two bags on a hand and she one on her other hand and we walked holding hands smiling. Before arriving home we stopped a bit at the park next home to kiss a bit not being bothered. Then we returned home.

"It was time!" Shin said. "I was thirsty!"

He then ran to get a wine bottle and he took it to the table while Isa smiled and put the things at the fridge and freezer and I told Shin off for his cheeky behaviour when we arrived.

"We are having a party on the 24th." I told Yasu, Shin and Ren while she was at the kitchen ordering the things a bit. "Would you want to join us? It's for celebrate summer beginning."

"Cool!" Shin said. "I have never celebrate it with her!!"

"She said something about it being on the 24th instead of on 23rd." I said. "Perhaps you know something about it, Shin?"

"Ah, yes." He said after thinking. "She is European, so I think she told me once she used to celebrate it around big bonfires so we should do one!"

"Fire is dangerous idea." Yasu said.

"We could do it on a special area with no threes around and controlling it a bit." Ren said. "Who are going to go?"

"I was thinking on all of us, Nana, Nana and perhaps Mishato." I recognised. "But it has to be secret. She thinks we are going to celebrate it on the 23rd."

"Yeah!!" Shin said happy.

"What's up now?" She asked sitting down with us carrying another beer for her.

I had already lost track of how many beers she had already drunk, 7 when I lost count.

"Shin is happy because Nobu told him you were going to see the fireworks of the summer beginning." Ren told her reacting fast.

"Oh, sorry but it was supposed to be just us." She said sticking her tongue out. "Ask him about it, I was just joking." She added then smiling.

"Ok, just come; see the fire works with us." I said as sweating.

"I will get lost soon so you can do naughty things with her." Shin told to my ear whispering and making me go red.

"It was not that!" I then shouted making everyone laugh, even Yasu who held his laugh.

It was funny, but after a while, Isa seemed to go sleep at the bench she was sharing with Ren. She had laid her head at his shoulder to look at his bets and help him, but then she closes her eyes and went asleep.

Then Ren just noticed her and put his cig off.

"I think it's time of leaving." He said. "Will you take her to her bed, Nobu?"

"I'll try." He said coming to my side to hold her at her arms to carry her with a bit of effort.

I smiled, perhaps she seemed thin, but she was certainly pure muscle, yet she was also soft to touch; and Nobu had thin arms so carrying her was perhaps a bit too much for him. Anyway, he seemed delight with it. He put her in her bed and then came back.

"Hey, you can stay if you want." He said. "She put some extra beds for guests at the studio so you could stay whenever you want."

"Thanks, but I have work to do." Yasu said. "Just make sure she wakes up at her time tomorrow, ok? Anyway, I'll call her to wake her up."

"I suppose I could stay here." Ren told us. "I don't think I should drive back home now, so if there's not much bothering…"

"Sure, I'll put the bed out." Shin said.

Half an hour later the bed was still not out of the hiding place and we were beginning to desperate.

"Nobu, why don't you sleep with Isa and Ren takes your bed?" Shin then said. "I want to go bed!!"

"True, after all she is your girlfriend." Ren said.

"She is drunk." I said going a bit pink.

"Ok, then I will sleep with her." Ren said running to her bedroom before I could even complain about it all.

"Boo, you are too gentlemen, Nobu." Shin said. "You will end up by loosing her too."

"Don't say such things!" I said a bit bothered on that comment. "I respect her, not as you two."

Then I nearly ran to my bedroom and lock the door.

**Ren's Part.**

When I got in the girl's room I closed the door behind me. Of course I would not try to take advantage of her while she slept. I had already shared her bed with her once and I must said it was somehow pleasant. I missed that sensation from the times I used to sleep with Nana, when we slept.

But she was… different. As I already had said some other times, she is a confusing mixture between mother and daughter. And when I got in bed and after a while she turned back to hug my waist laying her hear at my chest I felt as if that strong girl was just a fragile and weak girl need of protection.

I just hugged her. She remembered me sometimes on Nana. Perhaps I should try to steal her from Nobu, but I couldn't, he was my friend.

I could have stolen a girl from a guy, but if he was not friend as it was Nobu.

He asked us to go to the surprise party he wanted to give for her and just for her. And of course I will attend. I would go to the end of the world for both; they were worth of it and more.

And now feeling how she was hugging me, with such a warm and pure feeling… I had no doubts about it.

No, I would cross the whole world if she called me.

"Nobu… love…" she muttered.

Then I kissed her forehead softly and looked up to the bed header. It was not good, but that moment I didn't cared, not at all.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18****: WORK AND FIREWORKS.**

**Yasu's**** Part.**

"Good!" the director said. "Ok, a rest for everyone! An hour for having meal!"

I then loosened my tie. Even if it was summer begin near, it was hot as if it was completely summer.

Today we were recording the palace scenes, the tower and three ones. We were on a spot a bit far form Tokyo, kidnapped for recording the videoclip and a bit bored after two days of work. Anyway, the worst part was for Shin, Isa and me, who had to do the scenes.

Nobu was there just for recording the one we had to be at the palace ballroom and the place was full of people; apart from us, there was tons of staff, about 20 model guys and 20 model girls. Hitomi-san, who was the man with Takumi's resemblance, Kisagari-chan, who was the model with great resemblance to Reira, Ren and Nana Oosaki, our friend. And I nearly forgot naming the super-model Renato, who I think has agreed to appear on the videoclip cause of his friendship to our singer and the influence she seems to have over him too.

It is evident who was the one complaining the most, isn't it?

Apart from taking care of everything going well, I had to hear Nana complaining about lot of things, such as her appearance and the funny resemblance of the song-story to our personal story.

Anyway, something doesn't go as it should. I think everyone is getting fun by recording the things once and again, especially us; but if I have to keep on standing Nobu going jealous when that Renato guy holds Isa's the way he wants instead the one he has and our director ordering to stop it cause of the guy, I think I will go mad.

"Hey, there's a nice place near here." Isa said coming running. "I think we have found the perfect place for recording, but it's also wonderful for having meal!"

She was wearing the princess dress and that made her look really sexy and delicate. Nobu's eyes were about falling for his orbs when she appeared and the guys turned to see her and also Nana when they went around.

"Ok, let's see that place." I said.

It was true; the place was perfect for recording the three scenes. And perhaps, with a bit of luck, we could end this for today so we could go to the abbey the following day. About the party Nobu asked us to have for his girlfriend and our friend, I must say that perhaps tomorrow, the 24th could be a bit hard to do it; if we keep having work to do, I mean.

Anyway, after having meal just Nobu, Shin, Isa, Nana, Mishato and me under the three shade, we laid down a bit for having a little nap. Luckily for us, we were allowed to change clothes so she is wearing a pair of really short shorts with a tight top under a baggy tank top that doesn't hide she is sweating cause of hot weather.

"Hey, at least wear this." Nobu told her putting her cowboy like hat at her head.

She then smiled. She has had some time now that she appears a bit more like a little girl, more likely to be desirable to protect than the lioness able to protect us.

I really prefer her like this, and I think the rest too. She is more smiley now, same goes for Nana. Despite of the anger for us telling everyone about our lives and showing her as herself, she seems happier now.

After meal, we had that nap we wanted to have, and I went surprised when I saw Isabelle laying her head over Nobu's abdomen while Shin laid his over hers.

Nana just lay next to the tree and Ren tried to sleep near her, so did I.

As we were all tired, we all fell asleep, or nearly asleep, soon. Anyway, when we woke up was because Mishato and the rest of our helpers came to look for us.

Isa was not there and Shin was sleeping near Nobu not touching.

"Where's our singer?" I asked then.

"She has ended recording her scenes at the room." Mishato told us. "So now you have to record everyone the ones with the tree and the path. She is already at the make up area so you have to go to do the same as you all know what you have to do."

**Isabelle B. Part**

"Ok, ok. I got it." I said smiling. "I'll perform it the best I can."

My friends were already ready now so I didn't want to make them wait. They got dressed and made up while I was being ended make up and explained what they wanted me to do at the tree scene.

They didn't want me to be pulling of a filled trunk but I asked them for it because it will be easier to pull from a real weight thing than an empty one. My dress was now the same one but with torns all over it.

My hair was now with combed on a bit messy at some points hairstyle with some locks untied.

"Ready?" the director of the recording asked when my mates got to the tree. "Shin, you have to sit casual on the branch, not appear to be frightened. And for heavens shake! Nobu, you have to be serious! You don't know her! Do not look at her as if she was a friend! That's for later!"

"I think he doesn't know how difficult is to sit casual with this." Shin said as whispering.

"OK, to your marks… action!"

I began walking pulling from the trunk at the dusty path. I was looking ahead, then the trunk got stopped by a stone I had not realised so I pulled harder form it and it made me trip a bit but I managed to stand still. It had not been planed but nobody cut it. I kept on with my acting till I got to where the guys were and I looked at them.

"Ok! Perfect!" the man said. "I think the tipping was a good idea. Well done!"

I smiled as I rubbed my wrist a bit. I had hurt it a second when I pulled harder from the trunk to make it move again.

"Are you ok?" Yasu asked me.

"Yes." I said smiling. "I'm happy we got it on first time trying. He he."

"So now the only thing remaining is the other tree scene, isn't it?" Shin asked.

"Yep." Mishato said taking me a bottle of water. "And after that you all can leave. I think Ren and Nana already left."

"Oh, I saw them leaving too." Nobu said smiling. "Ren on his car with his helper and Nana … don't know."

"They have still not made up?" I asked then to sigh. "I hoped this would help them a bit…"

"They are both proud and stubborn." Yasu said. "I don't think there's an easy way for both."

"Oh… they made such a good couple…" I said.

**Nobu's Part**

After another hour there, we were allowed to leave for Tokyo. So we were on Isa's car going towards Tokyo on a fast speed as she used to drive. I think we have all got used to her driving on that high speed so we didn't complain either. In fact she then began driving fast but on a lower speed than usual, just about 100 to 120 km/h.

Ren was driving his own car with Yasu by his side while Shin, Nana and me went with Isa on her car.

Of course, Nana who was not used to that dangerous driving at high speed was crying and saying she was beginning to feel a bit sick.

Then Shin got a message and he began reading it. I don't know how but he seems to have got used to that way of driving and now he hardly ever changes his face when she makes the car go dangerously fast. So while he read the message his face lighted.

"Cool!" He said happily. "Hachi is also coming!"

"Yep!" Isa said happily. "People for the party, people for the party…"

"You seem over happy, don't you?" I said a bit embarrassed as she had made the car horn sound.

"Sure!" She said. "Everyone is coming! Yasu, Ren, Shin, Nana, Hachi, you and me!"

"We will not be able if you keep on driving so dangerously!" Nana said holding the seat tighter.

"But this is still too slow for this baby…" Isa said as if she was a little girl. "And we will not arrive on time for us making up for not being recognised…"

"You will have to make my white face too!" Nana said then.

Finally when we arrived to the city surroundings she lowered the speed and Nana went more relaxed, as me.

"Hey, call Hachi and tell her we will join at the 707." She said. "I'm willing to meet her."

**Isa's**** Part.**

We were all walking down the train station towards an old yet cute building next to the river where the firework was being held. While we walked I tried to do my best not to laugh while I saw Nobu and Shin wearing as if they were cute girls and just Yasu wearing as a guy. We had put on wigs and the staff making us up found funny to help us by lending us the wigs and clothes.

I was the one in charge of making them up on my home. Even Nana. Ren was a different matter, he didn't want to make up; he just wore different with some of my robes as he seemed to have gone thinner lately so my tops were not too tight his back, even when I had to lend him a bra and fill it with some paper and cloths for him looking as a woman.

Now we were sitting at the flat they told me once belonged both Nanas, laughing and drinking some beer we looked as a gang formed by a Goth Lolita girl (Shin), a black long haired yankee (Nana), a wealthy family girl with straight black hair tied on a high knob held by two ornamental hair-sticks (Ren), a handsome suntanned guy with short straight brownish black hair (Yasu, obviously), a guy with more or less long brown hair appearing to be a mix between hip-hoper and delivery guy (Nobu) and a ganguro girl with long curly blonde hair (Me). Playing Mah Jhon and laughing as the ganguro girl who the Goth Lolita said had the brain burned cause of the abuse of UVA rays at the solarium won a hand after another.

We were waiting for Madam Ichinoise to arrive and join us to get down for looking at the firework.

She seemed to take a lot of time but she ended up coming.

"Hello!" She said looking at us and then going astonished cause she didn't knew anyone there, then she saw Yasu who had been stolen the wig by the Goth Lolita that ran from a place to another carrying it.

Then she held her laugh.

"I'm happy to see you are happy." I said smiling at her.

"Hachi!" Nana said jumping at her neck to hug her.

Then Hachi began letting out some joy tears as she passed from arms to arms to be welcomed.

"Hey, she must be feeling a bit weird of being hugged by so many women." Shin said joking.

"Ren, you are the lady." I told him as he seemed to have some difficulties to act as a lady instead of acting as a bitchy lash.

"Can we change?" He asked.

"No!" We all said at once.

"My cousin is easily recognised if she wears as a lady." Shin said.

"Furthermore, I match this more as a disguise." I said getting next to him and acting as a ganguro. Making them hold their laugh while the delivery guy held my back and separated me from the lady.

"We should begin moving if we want to get a good place to see the fires." Yasu said. "Everyone has their blankets?"

"Yep!" We all said at once.

(Nana's voice)

I was really happy when I saw Hachi came. For some seconds I thought she would not come to our old flat cause of her husband, but she came, and she immediately smiled when she saw us. I must recognise that seeing Shin, Nobu and Ren wearing as ladies, Yasu as a black guy and the red haired as a ganguro with dark suntanned skin, blond hair and blue contact lenses was something she could easily laugh at. I have already laughed when I saw Ren coming out Isa's bedroom wearing as a wealthy lady. He really looked as a travesty till Isa managed to make him up making him look as a real lady.

While we sat to see the firework I shared a blanket with Hatchi.

(Ren's voice)

"Why doesn't even she look at me?" I asked Yasu who was my blanket mate sadly while I held the silken brolly Isa lent me trying to look as a lady.

"Just try to have fun and stop thinking on her." Yasu told me. "I must thank you for coming here. Nobu was really happy, well, everyone looks happy."

"Specially those two girls with the delivery guy." I said laughing as a proper lady would do covering my mouth with my gloved hand.

(Nobu's voice)

"Look!" I said pointing to the first firework in the night as I held Isa's waist with my arm. "Have you ever seen this before?"

"No, I didn't know people used boats too." She told me smiling as another firework lighted the sky.

"I bet you never spent this day here." Shin said from her other hand.

"No, I have never being here today." She said smiling. "But I can promise you that I'll try to come here today from now on. After all, I think I will be living here for a long time."

Those were good news. I smiled as she laid her head over my shoulder. Then she removed it from my shoulder and patted on her legs to then point to my face.

I then smiled as I lay on my back putting my head at her lap, so she soon was rubbing my wig messing it up and combing it again with her soft fingers as she looked at the fireworks.

I looked at them for a while, but her face was more attractive than the fireworks so after a while I began looking at her face from time to time so as her not noticing it. Even when she was made up like a ganguro she was really attractive.

When she noticed me looking at her she smiled mildly making me go a bit pink.

(Shin's voice)

I was sitting wearing as a Goth Lolita with my cousin Isa who now looked as a ganguro girl and Nobu who looked as a delivery guy with more or less long hair. He and she did a good couple. Everyone could see it. I specially enjoyed when he laid down putting his head at her lap and she began messing his hair and combing it back while she looked at the fireworks with a smile at her face.

Then I looked at them and saw why she had put so much interest on them.

I then remembered the day I first time I was on London. I was eleven and she was about 14 or 15 then. She took me with her as she used to when we were together. We walked around the places she had told me thousand times when we met. I remember the disco she told me she used to go when her father was not home and she could sneak form home. Her favourite music store, the street market on Nothing Hill… And then in the night she took me to the top of her father's hotel to see the night sky.

Later, we wanted to go out but our parents sent us with some bodyguards and they took us to a side of Thames River. I asked her why she had taken me there and then I saw the first one while she answered me she had taken me there to see fireworks. First time I saw fireworks so near and bright. Later I saw more, but that first time was special for me. I saw her looking at them with a smile, as if she did it for her first time too even when she had told me about those some times before.

Yes, this time was the same expression on her face. As if those were her first fireworks too. And all for sudden, a bit of missing feeling for the ones on her hometown.

All for sudden I remembered that night and it came again to life, as if we were still that young and I was the posh wearing kid I was then.

I then laid my head on her shoulder softly and she looked at me for a second, she kissed my head and kept on looking at the fireworks while I hugged her back.

After fireworks, we left for our places, all together at Isa's and Ren's cars. Nana decided to spend the night at her old flat even when Ren told her so madly to get his house.

She refused.

Back at home, we went to the toilet all together to de-make up while Isa laugh as she put a auto-suntan cream stain at Nobu's point of the nose.

Then I kissed both cheeks and left a lipstick mark on their faces. The truth is we took about half an hour to complete de-make up and then we changed clothes into pyjamas.

For just that night, we all slept at her big bed, holding hands with her between Nobu and me.

I think I got slept hugging her as if she was the mother I never had. She must have got sleep surrounding me by the shoulders with one arm and with Nobu's arm surrounding her at the neck height while he hugged her too.


	19. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19: BAD GIRLS GO EVERYWHERE**

**(ISABELLE L****. OKANZAKI SPECIAL)**

Hey, Shin. Do you remember the last time we met? You were about running from your family and I was still going out with Renato but I already knew it would soon end. Yet you didn't know about him.

I think that was the last time we saw each other till that day we casually met outside that record shop.

"Hey, cousin." Shin asked me poking at my arm as I read the message Renato had sent me. "Is everything right?"

"Oh, yep." I said turning my phone off. "Sorry to have being off for a little while."

"What was on the message?" He then asked me.

"Oh, nothing important." I answered him. "I was thinking… do you still go to that cool disco at the centre?"

"You knew?" He asked me confused.

"Of course, you sent me a mobile phone photo last time you got a bit drunk there." I told him smiling.

He was wearing his Armani trousers and that white shirt with his initials embroidered at the chest pocket. I couldn't tell him anything when I was wearing a cute summer dress my father made to do specially for me by the best tailor on London according to the latest tendencies from Paris. So we both looked as perfect wealthy aristocracy teenagers.

"Ok, I suppose you will not mind waiting for me to change clothes." He said.

"Why?" I asked him smiling. "You look cool like that. And if you go out here wearing other robes your carers will take just a second to stop you and inform your dad." I said stirring my tea to take little sips from it.

"But we can't go there wearing this." He said.

"Shin, Shin, Shin. You still have lots to learn." I said smiling. "Put your things on a bag and try not to make them look too bumpy."

"Wow!" Shin said smiling. "Each time we met I end up learning something!"

"It's my duty to show you the way." I said smiling while I ended changing into my top and patchwork jeans with a jean puffy cap and went out to see Shin had changed into a pair of jeans with a tank top.

"Ok, come here." I said smiling as I took my handbag to make him seat at the near bench and I took out my eyeliner pencil.

"Wow!" He said smiling when he saw me. "You look really cool now! You don't look the tycoon daughter!"

I smiled as I began drawing him some tattoos and I put a faked earring on his ear.

"Can I put another one?" He asked. "Three at each ear."

"You still like the punk music, don't you?" I asked as I stick more sticky earrings at her ears.

"Sex pistols are the best!!" He told me making me to stop his face to keep on working at him. "Thanks for giving me your copy."

"It was a present." I said. "Ah, remember me to hand you the new copy, right? I brought you three new CDs. And… done! Have a look and tell me."

I saw how he left for the toilets to have a look at the final result while I put all my things back in the bag.

When he came out he jumped over my neck to hug me.

"Thanks, thanks, thanks!!" He said. "I don't really look as myself! Nobody could recognise me now!"

"Thanks." I said smiling. "Wanna begin with the walk?"

"Yep!" He said. "I'll show you a new ice-cream parlour."

He guided me around his place, taking me to the ice-cream parlour to the department stores. I paid for our things and I also bought some make up for me and another t-shirt I came across on a shop window while we walked around.

It was punk and my cousin loved it too. A certain Vivien Westwood design that cost me about 57 pounds. Perhaps a bit expensive for being punk clothing but I certainly had fell for it. Shin also bought another t-shirt with horizontal stripes on another shop; it was certainly cheaper than mine.

Then we went to that disco he used to love. We got no problem on getting in there thanks to our handsome faces that would certainly call for more customers there.

I was used to it, I mean… men usually paid for my drinks at the places and it would not be the first time I got some of my products for free thanks to a smile or a simple movement.

That time was no exception. We weren't made to pay for the tickets and as soon as I began moving at the dance floor with my cousin we began to attract everyone's eyes.

Half an hour later, Shin was at a corner kissing with a girl after another, and I was still dancing but surrounding by a lot of men.

As soon as Shin left some came nearer me to try and call for my attention in order to dance with me and perhaps something else.

Dancing was ok for me, but I would not do anything else with any of them. I was going out with Renato, and even when we were a bit open about that things cause of his job… well, I wasn't able to cheat on him. Even when I knew I could have done it with no problem. I had not lack of men ready to spend an hour or two with me, to feel heaven with just one kiss; but I was with him with all the things that meant. I was loyal even when I was never sure if he was being loyal to me.

Anyway, on that time the ground crack between us was beginning to grow, he was beginning to spend more time working away from me and less dedicated to me.

I think that night I drank a bit too much, I was beginning to get on that state you still know what you are doing and you will remember everything but you are overtaking feelings, two to be concrete, sadness and you cried or happy and you laughed at nearly everything, I was on the second one.

It's hard for me to get so drunk that the following day I would not remember anything, ad I think I have gone so far just twice. First time I drank alcohol on a punk place and the day my father told me off when he found a miniskirt at the very bottom of my laundry basket.

It was six in the morning and the disco closed the doors to everyone. I picked Shin up and he passed his arm around my shoulders. We decided to go walking to his house and get in through the window. Both of us knew his father would not be home then so we had no problem in getting in his bedroom wearing those robes. Then we would have a shower, remove the sweat and sleep for a while.

"Do you know what?" He asked me when we were reaching his house. "One day I'll leave this family. I hate my dad and brother." He confessed me. "They have never show me anything else than despise since I was born. I wish I had never born."

"Shh!" I said covering his mouth with my hands to prevent him keep on talking. "Do say that again. What would I do without you at my family? You are the best thing that has happened on this family! I was really happy when you told me you loved the same things than me…"

He was silent now. We were wearing pyjamas at his bedroom while we lay at his bed. I was in his bed and he was by my side. I really loved that kid, he curdled by me and laid her head at my chest while I hugged his neck and messed his hair. It was true he was more or less 5 years younger than me, but he was certainly beginning to show certain similar to me rebel signs.

I would have killed for having a guy like him; in fact, I think that if he had not being my cousin but the son of one of my father's allies or a family friend, then I would have not minded the years I was elder than him and would have certainly chosen him as boyfriend instead the one I now had.

It was true I had evolved since my first boyfriend and Renato was certainly a good caring guy that loved me over all the other things. He really wanted to see me happy, but he was first in love with his work.

Then I was sleepy when I noticed Shin's face burying at my breast over the camisole's cloth. I smiled and laid my chin at his head after kissing his hair softly.

"Sweet dreams, Shin." I whispered him. "Always remember that even when we are separated by million kilometres I'll always be there for you… I love you." Then I kissed his hair again as he seemed to look for the warmth of my chest with her face.

I allowed it on him because he was my cousin and because I wanted to make him feel loved for once in his life since last time I was with him.

When the maid came to clean his room as every morning and saw us there she didn't said a word, she just smiled as she saw us hugging dressed in the bed, him with a smile at his face and a relaxed for first time on years.

"Hinkata!" the Maid Head said shouting at her when she closed the bedroom door. "I told you to clean the young lord's room!"

"Shh…" the maid said. "Madam Tama, my respects. The Yong master is in there with the young foreign mistress. They are sleeping as blessed. I felt pity for them."

"What a pity or what a pity!!" the old woman said opening the door.

Then she saw us and sighed as she closed the door slowly.

"Go and be careful on the master not coming and discovering them." She ordered. "Let's leave them sleep a bit more, just till the lord is about coming."

We weren't waken up till nearly eleven in the morning that they asked us to shower and begin getting ready for being taken to a good restaurant for meal.

As Shin had a little redraft I took a pill from my bath bag things and handed it for him to take it. It would help him to feel a bit better.

I stayed there for another full day and then my family and me left back for London.

That was the last time I saw my cousin before that day we met at the record shop where Nobu worked at.

And I still wonder what would have happened if we had born on a different family on a different place. Would we have never met like that? Would have we been happier than today?

I have gone throught a lot of pain, I can regret some things during my life till now. But what I will never regret is having born on this family, having met cousin Shin was the best thing that has happened on my whole life. Having allowed him to live with me at Tokyo is something I still think I will never regret.


	20. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20****: SHIN JR. A NEW LIFE.**

**(NANA K. SPECIAL)**

Hey Nana. Did you knew that when I was about giving birth last thing crossing my mind was you being godmother of my baby? I suddenly remember for last second before sleeping due to anaesthesia, those moments we shared living together at room 707 next to Tama River.

I was watching TV when all began. I didn't expect her so soon; in fact neither Takumi nor I expect Sachiko till about a week after that day.

In the morning Takumi left for the agency to settle everything for her birth. He had to perform for TV that day so I was left alone with Junko. She has come more often home just for me not being alone.

Anyway, when we were laying the table for dinner the bottle I was carrying fell from my hands and burst into million pieces.

"Nana!" Jun shouted then.

"Baby…" I muttered.

Then she realised something was not going as it should and took out her mobile phone to phone an ambulance. And then she took my mobile to put it on a bag with some other things I should carry to hospital.

I think she was the first one realising it could mean I was about giving birth. The pain was horrible and I thought I was about loosing my child.

When the ambulance came it took me to the hospital Takumi and I had appointed I would be giving birth to our dear Sachiko. I was immediately took to a bedroom after the doctor told us everything was all right.

Junko stayed there with me all the time, when the doctor came back with some results from a pair of test I was made when I arrived he asked Jun to phone my husband because I would be giving birth from a moment to another. Then he took my mobile phone and sent Takumi, Yasu and Kyosuke a message each telling them what was going on.

Then I remember when Yasu came after Kyosuke. I was a bit frightened cause I though something wrong was going on. Then the white robed men carrying me to the operation theatre and the doctor who injected me the anaesthesia asking me to count from one to a million.

"One…" I began counting.

I was at a place that had some glass panes as walls. Yasu, Kyosuke and Junko were out.

"Two…"

Nobu and Shin came running and asked the rest something to look in the room through the glass.

"Three…"

I was feeling sleepy, really really tired.

Then I saw that Misato was also there with them.

"Fo… four…"

Why were all my friends there? Where was Takumi?

Last thing I can remember was Nana's worry face against the crystal, looking straight at me.

I remember dreaming something. I was naked, surrounded by darkness and then I saw my baby at my arms. But it was not a girl, it was a guy crying so I held him against my chest crying of happiness, then the kid began growing up till he became Shin hugging me and back shrinking till becoming a baby.

"She is waking up!" I heard Jun saying then.

I began blinking as I saw lot of light hitting my face.

Where was I? It has white walls; I was on a bed on an unknown place.

"Nana." I heard someone calling me while I felt a big hand wrapped mine calling for my attention. "Nana, love. Look at me, please."

I then looked at the owner of the voice and smiled thinking it was Nana. When I saw the face I kept on smiling as I saw Takumi.

Then all the effects disappeared and I woke up.

"Hello." I said softly. "Where is Sachiko? Is she ok?"

"What a lot of nonsenses." He said kissing my forehead. "Of course she is ok, yet… we have to change the name." He added as a nurse brought the newborn baby to place it on my lap. "Sachiko would not match him much now we know it's a guy."

I looked at it and saw it was true, my dream and his words. I had a handsome guy at my lap, then he cried and I began cradling him slowly to peace him up.

"Can we name him Shin, please?" I asked Takumi.

"You are still a bit sleepy." He said. "We will decide tomorrow, right? When the drug's effects have gone."

"I like that name, please…" I began begging.

"Tomorrow." He said. "I have to leave now, but I'll be back when I end with the things I have to do, right? You friend Jun was really nice to stay here with you. You should thank her also from my part, will you, please?"

I nodded even when I was sad he had to leave so soon but I said nothing; I knew his work was the most important thing and that then came I. All I hoped was Shin would be now his preference over all.

(Nana O.)

"C'mon!" I said while the taxi driver took us to the hospital. "Can't you go faster?!"

"Nana." Yasu said. "I don't think shouting at him will solve anything."

"Yes, you should be a bit nicer to people in general." Nobu said.

"What if he just travels slower now you have been shouting at him for so long." Shin asked then.

"I want to arrive!!!" I shouted.

We were all packed at the back of a taxi that seemed to be moving at 10 km/h instead that 40 that was allowed on city.

"You should give her a relaxing medicine!" The taxi driver said. "What a lungs!"

"Shut up and drive faster!" I shouted at him then.

"Nana!" All my friends said at once.

The reason for what I was so nervous was cause Hachi had woke up again.


	21. Chapter 22

**EPISODE 22: TEARS AND RAIN.**

**Isabelle L. Part**

It's funny, I mean… I didn't expect it would happen. Not now Nobu and I seemed to be so well together.

It all began a month after the summer party. And all thanks to press.

As they had ended trying to put dirt over Nana and Ren they began looking into the rest ones lives. And I want to mean, especially us, Blast.

They took a bit to find anything strong enough for release, but they ended up finding something.

I was working at Gaia when I got the call. I was reviewing the last benefits balances when the phone began ringing.

"Gaia Record Firm. Miss Okanzaki on the phone, what can I help you at?" I asked not taking my eyes out of the numbers mountains I had in front of me.

"Isa!" I heard Reira calling me on the other end of the phone. "Is that true?"

"What?" I asked putting my finger over the number I was at and raising my sight from the notebook to look at the phone. "Sorry Reira, but I don't know what you are asking about."

Since we met at the charity live she phoned me from time to time, I suppose Shin gave her my phone number. What surprised me more was she calling me straight to the firm telephone.

"All that story about you being a bitch and having gone out with so much men." She asked me. "They say you have had something with Shin!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked now worried. "Shin is my cousin; I have never had anything with him but for a cousin relationship."

"But you are appearing on the news!" She said.

Then Misato burst in the room sweating and deeply worried.

"Isa!" She said. "You are appearing on news!"

"I have just been told." I said. "Reira, I'll call you later. I need to see something on TV."

Then I hung down the phone and literally ran down the corridor despite of the high heeled shoes and the miss dress I was wearing, avoiding people at the corridor on my ran to the staff room where there was a big TV.

People were already there watching TV when I arrived and stopped at the door to watch it with my eyes opened in shock as I saw the photos taken of me when I was with some of my "boyfriends" and friends.

Henry, James, Kuno, Ayato, Pierre, Marcos, Kevin, Viktor, Nicolai… the list was long. And among all those photos, there was some of Shin and me too. None of them showing a concrete prove of us being going out or dating. But they could obviously being mistaken by love photos too. I must agree it.

I looked at them astonished as the news presenters said a lot of lies about me. I wanted to get there and kill them for spreading such a big amount of lies. I was beginning to see all in red.

Then I concentrated on breathing deep as my breath was beginning to miss me. Then I felt a hand over my shoulder. I turned my face to see the old man that was the manager from our band over my shoulder, his face also showed worry.

"I swear that's a big amount of lies." Is what I said then.

"C'mon, don't listen to this." He said pulling from my arm softly.

I shook my head and got free. I wanted to see it, I needed to know what was being said about me.

Then my mobile phone began ringing mad on my pocket. I took it: Nobu.

I wanted to pick it up but I hung it down. It was matter of seconds that I got a mail at it I decided to open.

"R U ok? Where R U?" Nobu had sent me a message before calling Mishato as I found out later. "We have 2 speak. Where can we meet?"

I didn't answer as Mishato was speaking with him. I then checked the message was not just Nobu's but also Shin's.

Five seconds later I found Yasu there, his shirt a bit wrinkled at the chest and his tie a bit loosened.

"Are you ok?" Was what he just asked me.

"No, I'm mad at it all." I said with a serious face and correct voice tone. "How do they dare to spread such an amount of lies?"

Perhaps my lady training on forms and manners was useful on those situations after all.

"OK, ok." He said passing his arm behind my back and making me lay my face against his chest. "Don't worry, if you swear it's all a lie then it can be solved."

"Nobu and Shin are on their way here." Mishato said coming out of the staff room and seeing us there. She didn't expected Yasu to be there, but he was.

I wanted to shout, to hit and yell in fury, but my education didn't let me do such thing.

I also wanted to cry, but I couldn't either.

Anyway, the worse didn't came there, the worse was when, four days later, press found their news on my relationship with Renato and an English actor that was the one before him. Nobu went jealous and after having been so for all that time, with great sadness, we broke up. In fact, he was the one doing it. It was on our home. He just caught his things and left for his old flat.

Then I ran out of the flat and through the streets with no idea of where I was going. I wanted to get lost of there. I wanted everyone in press leaving me alone for once and forever, but I knew it was not possible. I was now a famous singer, a tycoon daughter and they had turned that good things I got with hard work look silly comparing to the fact that I had lot of friends.

I don't know where I was running towards, I don't know why I ran or for how long. All I know is suddenly I fell down at the grass and I began punching the grass.

I was beginning to cry of fury when I found my fist being held to prevent me hitting the ground again and me being lifted up with no effort.

Who lifted me up was a guy who came looking for fight. He had it.

I ended up spitting some blood and bleeding from my knuckles and from some cuts I got from the guy.

Then I ran away again, and again I fell down after some minutes. This time I was near the river, next to a modern building full of flats. I began hitting the ground once and again leaving blood drops all over the grass and getting my knuckles dirty on earth from the place I was hitting.

I was beginning to form a pool with the blood coming out of my knuckles when I was held by my wrist to prevent me hitting the ground again. I wanted to hit the one holding me but I was stopped again as being held the other wrist too.

Then I looked at the face of the one holding me. I saw nothing cause of the tears filling my eyes.

"Hey, c'mon. Come my home." A soft voice I knew said. "You will be safer there. Oh, my… your knuckles are bleeding!"

Then I buried my face at his chest robes. I didn't knew why I did it, but I just did it without even thinking. I buried my face at Ren's shirtless chest.

He then released my wrists and held my softly by the back as hugging me.

**Ren's**** Part.**

I had seen a red glittering coming down my home when I was looking to the river sadly. We had nothing to do then cause the record agency was closed due to personal matters so Takumi was at his house and Naoki was somewhere near Sibuya.

It was now raining outside so that made me even more sad and bored.

As soon as I saw the red glittering was coming from a red haired girl who was running I nearly flight down the stairs when I saw her fall down.

When I reached her I checked it was certainly my friend Isabelle Okanzaki. Yes, her red hair was unmistakable for any of us.

She was punching the ground and her hands were beginning to be dirty with mud from the ground she was hitting.

I then held her wrists, one and then the other when she tried to hit me.

She was crying her eyes out. They were filled with tears and so red I was afraid she had been crying for a long while. She was also soaked till bones and showed a sad appearance.

"Hey, c'mon. Come my home." I then said. "You will be safer there. Oh, my… your knuckles are bleeding!"

I hoped her to kick my balls as I held her arms; but instead she buried her face at my chest. Then I wished to have put on a shirt before going down, not just my leather jacket.

Suddenly I felt how she fainted. I wanted to shout on worry, but I held it. If I shouted no doubt we would call for attention and that would be even worse. No, instead of that I held her better and carried her up to my flat.

There I laid her over the bed. She then curled up at it.

She seemed to have gone through lot of pain and I was a bit worried. I mean… I had never seen her cry.

I left her there as I took my mobile phone to phone Shin, but I just had Yasu's number. I phoned him. I was talking with him about what happened when I heard some steps and I saw her at the door.

"Hello." I told her then. "I'm speaking to Yasu, do you feel better?"

She then nodded and I told Yasu what happened. He then asked me to ask her something.

"Yasu asks me where were Shin and Nobu." I asked her.

Suddenly she began breathing fast and crying again and she fell on her knees. I then shouted and nearly left the phone fall to the ground.

"What's going on?" Yasu shouted at my ear through the phone.

"Don't know!" I said. "She is breathing fast and crying!" I told him.

There was a second of silence and he told me to make her breath on a bag and to make her lay down. He will come and we will take her to hospital. He also asked me to try and make her relax, to comfort her a bit.

I then took her and I made her lay at the sofa looking to the ceiling but she curled back at herself while I looked for a bag to make her breath in. I found a sandwich paper bag from the times Nana lived there with me.

"Yasu told me you have to breathe inside the bag." I said kneeling down at her side.

I then held the bag at her face covering her nose and mouth and forcing her to breathe there. She then fainted again just a minute before Yasu arrived.

**Isabelle B****. Part.**

When Ren mentioned Nobu I couldn't help going over-nervous and I felt as if suddenly I forgot something, as if air was beginning to miss and I began breathing fast as I cried cause of Nobu and I broke up just some hours before.

Ren then ran to pick a paper bag and forced me to breath in it.

I then began to feel dizzy and I ended up by falling unconscious.

When I woke up I was at a taxi lying with my head over Yasu's lap. I felt better now; at least I could breathe back normal.

"Don't panic." Yasu told me. "We are taking you to see a doctor we know. He will see what has gone on."

"Do you think she got Hyperpnoea?" Ren asked then.

I then noticed he was sitting on the other end of the taxi, my legs over him.

"I should sit properly." I said moving to sit down between both.

I tried to look proper, but the truth was that I had my clothes dirty and my hands also dirty and blood stained. I thought it was the guy I had beaten up because I couldn't remember of anything else.

When I sat down Ren put his hand over my forehead and I went pink on my cheeks.

"She has a normal temperature…" He said.

"It seems it was a hyperpnoea attack." Yasu said. "That doesn't make her temperature rise too much."

I was now ashamed of myself causing them so much trouble. Anyway, when we reached the doctor's place and I saw Shin, Nobu and Mr. Gimpei there I went even more ashamed.

They seemed really worried about me, but I knew they had nothing to be frightened at. I mean… I didn't knew, it was more like… feeling they had nothing to be frightened at.

**Nobu's**** Part.**

"I can't believe you spit up with her cause of that amount of rubbish." Shin told me when I told him at the doctor friend of Gimpei's house.

"Shin, she has done up half of the male population in the whole world." I told him. "And she has kissed someone while she was with me…" I added softly as it was what hurt me the most.

"And what if she has done lot of men before you?" He asked me. "She was with none of them while she was going out with you!"

"There are photos of her kissing other guy while he was going out with me!" I said furious.

Then he fell silent and surprised. I thought he had seen the photos… I didn't want to keep on with that chat. I just looked down furious clenching my fists. I was furious for what I found out by news at Channel Nana (7); but I was even more worried about her being ok now.

Yasu phoned me when I was settling my things back at my old flat. I had to lay on the bed because everything there remembered me on her.

Anyway, when Yasu called me telling me what has gone on and where will he take her when he picked her up I ran out of my flat to ask for a taxi to take me to the doctor's house.

There was where I met Shin. He also was worried when I saw him.

"I can't understand it…" He then whispered taking me out of my thoughts. "I wonder if you don't have a real problem with women… She was perfect for you and you have left her gone…"

He was really sad now; he had sat down on the ground and hugged his legs against his chest.

**Shin's**** Part.**

I couldn't believe what Nobu had just told me. I thought he loved my cousin as much as she loved him. I couldn't believe it was just a silly rumour needed for them to break up. I was now depressed for so many bad news on the same time.

And I was really worried about Isa's health. Yasu said that according to Ren's description of facts she had gone through two hyperpnoea attacks on little time. That was really bad news.

"I can understand you want to hate me for breaking up with your cousin." Nobu told me then with a soft voice as if he had to take it from the very deeps in him.

"Of course it's not that!" I told him shocked. "I'm also your friend! I'm not going to be on a side or the other! And you should not stop being her friend despite of this!"

It was true; he thought that when that happened friends went to a side or the other. But I will not take that position. No, I will live with Isa because she was my cousin, but I will also meet Nobu, and I expected he didn't stop being my cousin's friend. That would only hurt everyone.

"At least give me some days to get over it all." He said. "Just because I don't want to be angry with the singer of our band."

When did Isa past from his girlfriend to just the singer of our band? I couldn't believe how he had gone so cold. No, I could believe it. He was just doing the same that my cousin when she was hurt so much. And the worse was that I couldn't hug him as I would do with her as soon as I would meet her alone.

Then she arrived. She walked still in the waiting room where we were waiting for them to arrive. Behind her came Yasu and Ren. It was true; Yasu said Ren found her next to his house by hazard.

"Is the doctor in?" Yasu asked.

"Yep." We said.

Then I jumped over Isa's neck asking her if she was ok.

"I'm ok." She told me. "It was just a bad minute. I still don't know what happened. Sorry to have made you worried."

I could hear how her heart beat faster when she noticed Nobu. She stayed silent while he spoke.

"I'm happy you feel better now." Nobu told her still a bit worried.

"Thanks." She whispered.

Then the doctor called her.

**Isabelle B****. Part.**

"Hey, I swear it was not such a thing." I told them when we were out of the doctor's house. "Don't you think that if it had been such thing I would have had it before?"

"Perhaps you got it now." Ren told me. "Did you use condom each single time you two did it?"

I then coughed as Nobu shouted at him something about respect and love.

"Listen, now you are ok, I think I'm leaving for home." Nobu then said when we reached the entrance and went into the streets. "I still have to settle my things back there."

"You don't have to leave home." Shin said as Yasu surrounded my arms with his arm.

"I think it's better like that." Nobu just said then. "Anyway, if you organise a Mah-Jongg party again give me a call and I'll be there."

"Then come tonight for a game." Shin said.

"Sorry, tonight I have things to do…" He said while I looked at him by the corner of my eye. "Maybe next time. See you. And Isa, take care, right? You need some rest…"

I nodded as I felt as if tears were beginning to flow again from my eyes. I was now sad, terribly sad. I knew I would feel fury for some time, after all, that was my first state after a break up: Fury, later came the second state: Sadness. The last but one was self-pity and then, the last state: forget and half-recovering. It had always been like that, so not it was weird for me to feel sadness so early; normally the first state lasted for at least for a week or two. Why was I now past from the first to the second state so easily?

I went silent all the way back home. I then was nearly taken up by Yasu and Ren's arms. I didn't say a word; I just sat down at the sofa while the rest went from here to there doing things.

"Isa, c'mon, get to the bathroom and have a long bath." Yasu told me. "It will help you."

I didn't said a word, I just shook my head looking down.

"Hey, wake up." Shin said. "You have to recover. It's not the end of the world. It has happened to you before and you survived."

He kept on trying for a while till Yasu made him a sign for stopping. I knew they all wanted to help, but they couldn't.

"Isa, please." Yasu then said. "Have a hot shower and get in bed. That will help you."

I didn't move at first, but then I stood up and walked straight to my bedroom. There I lay in the bed and got in it.

I didn't want to have meal, I didn't want to have a bath… all I wanted was to wake up from that awful nightmare and check Nobu was still there, by my side.

I close my eyes and tried to sleep while I cried. I suppose I got slept while I was crying cause then I can't remember anything else.

**Ren's**** Part.**

"Are you sure you can stay here?" Yasu told me at the door.

Shin had gone into his cousin bedroom in order to be with her. He said something about giving back her favours and making her feel beloved. It sounded weird from my point of view.

"Yes, don't worry." I told him. "I can stay here tonight… Tomorrow I had to get to Cookie's to keep on helping with something Takumi's dealing with. But I can come here after that."

"If she goes wrong again call me immediately, right?" He kept on saying.

"Yes, yes." I said. "If you don't trust me then stay here too."

He then looked at me and took his things.

"Ok, good bye." He said. "I'll come back tomorrow to see how she is."

"Ok, ok." I said. "Bye."

Then I close the door and walked to the living-room. Everything was silent now. I picked up the ashtray and emptied it on the litterbin. I then lighted a cig.

Things were worse than ever for me. Nana didn't speak to me, I was about collapsing due to Takumi and the overload of work we had thanks to him… And now a good friend had gone through a hyperpnoea state due to that silly of Nobu breaking up with her. I didn't mean to blame Nobu of that attack, in fact I didn't know why that lovely couple broke up. And who was the one breaking up? It must have been Nobu; otherwise she would not have gone like that.

I wondered how was she had run for so long since her house to next to mine, and of course how did she got those knuckles wounds.

I was smoking my second cig when I decided to go and check how those two were. I then put off the cig and left the ashtray at the coffee table. I then stood up and went to have a look at the girl's bedroom.

Perhaps I should have knocked first, but I just opened the door slowly trying it not to creep and I put my head in.

Shin was hugging her as if she was a little girl, he was still awakened but with his lips at her hair as if he kissed her head from time to time.

"Hey, how is she?" I asked Shin whispering.

"She has fallen asleep." He answered me back on the same tone. "But she has been crying, her eyes are swollen and she had her face soaked on tears…"

I then nodded.

"I'll be on your bedroom if you don't mind." I said then.

He nodded and I left. I just removed my shirt and I lay over the bed. While I was looking at the ceiling I thought about it all.

I then thought Nobu was silly for leaving her gone away so easily; even when I didn't knew why did they break up I thought it.

Suddenly an idea came to my mind. Perhaps it had something to do with the photos that TV has put up on their gossiping news showing her dating a lot of different guys.

Those photos were so awful that they probed nothing else than the fact that she had lot of guys around her. But perhaps Nobu mistook them and thought something else.

And then there were the photos showing her kissing with an English actor and then with the model guy that came to the recording of their video clip. Ren I think was called, no, Rena… Renato, Renato, that's it.

Maybe he was her boyfriend once, but… I didn't thought she would cheat Nobu. Anyway, there was no use on thinking on that now. I turned around to face the wall and try to sleep.


	22. Chapter 23

**EPISODE 23****: RECOVERING. THE TWO DEMONS ARIVAL.**

**Isabelle L. Part**

I think I have been sleeping for ages, but it's just a full night. I have wake up a bit late today, Shin was by my side. He was hugging me while he sleeps and now I'm the one curling up against him.

The house is silent. Too silent, in fact.

I wonder where Nobu is because he is not there with me.

True, he has left. We have break up. I can't believe it, I don't want to. Anyway, I have to put myself up. Shin and Yasu still need me on one piece, singing as always.

I stand up and I get out of the bedroom. A hot shower will help me seeing things other way. Yes. I turn on the hot water and I take my shampoo. Nobu's things still are there, I have come across his toothbrush and his hair grease when I took my shampoo from the self. I decide to force myself in the shower area delimited by semitransparent glass panes.

As I feel water caressing my skin I can't help crying. Nobu has gone. I can't help crying. It's always like that. My heart has just got another wound, I hope this time I can get over it when in public.

After having the shower I get out the shower area and wrap myself with a big towel while I wrap my hair with another one smaller till I make a bit bun-like-thing.

Then I end up drying myself and I put on a bathrobe to get in the kitchen and begin trying to cook something.

As I did it, I didn't even think or anything like that. I did it mechanically, trying to do it well and nothing else.

I just cook some meat stew and some boiled potatoes for the main dish.

**Ren's**** Part**

I can't believe anything of what happened. I think it is still a bit unbelievable for me. Why should she have acted it like that? Why should she have hugged me when I got in the kitchen and pick a piece of the fruits she was about making juice for putting on the roast meat?

I woke up cause some light was hitting my face, then I looked at my hand. It was still dirty with dry blood. No, it was not mine. I then remembered what went on the previous day and why I was on an unknown room.

Isa, Blast new singer, had a hyperpnoea attack when I mentioned Nobu after finding her at the ground next to my home and hitting the ground where she had left a little pool of blood mixed with mug. She was there under rain and I then remembered to have gone out in the rain wearing just my trousers and a jacket with no shirt under it.

Then I heard noises outside. Perhaps Shin had got up and was doing something around.

I stood up and walked out of the room.

"Hey, Shin." I said. "Can you tell me where can I have a shower, please? I'm afraid your room was too hot for me… Oh, good morning." I said noticing it was not Shin but Isa who was cooking at the kitchen.

"The bathroom is just over there." She told me. "Just next to the toilet."

"Ok, I didn't mind to…" I began.

"The green towel is mine; you can take one from the wardrobe next to the sink." She told me then while she began putting some peeled potatoes at the oven tray.

I thought she was still a bit sad so I said nothing and went to have the shower. While I felt water running down my body I thought about all. I didn't knew how to take care of a girl feeling as she was feeling. In fact I didn't know what was making her so depressed.

How was I supposed to act?

When I end having showered I took a bathrobe from a self next to the door and wore it. There were two bigger than another who was also a bit big, I took one of the bigger ones and wore it. Then I walked to the kitchen.

She was now cutting some fruits she was putting in a machine that would make them liquid so before she did it I picked a piece of wild apple and then some berries.

"Mmm, I think it will be a crime to make this liquid." I said as I tasted the wild apple. "Those are just as heaven."

"Did you manage to find everything?" She asked me.

"Yes, you guys have the best ordered private bathroom I have ever seen." I confessed her trying her to laugh or at least smile.

She did none of them, she seemed to realise on what I was wearing and stared at me.

"Isa, are you… ok?" I asked stopping when she ran and hug me again burying her face at my robes.

Then I was really shocked. She was crying again, so all I did was surround her back with one arm while I rubbed her hair softly looking also sad.

I was told Nobu and her broke up yesterday so I supposed she was like that because the break up.

I could understand her a bit. I was also dropped by Nana's pride. Now it was Nobu who had dropped her. And as I saw her crying so bitterly… I thought he made a great mistake. It was obvious she loved him more than anything.

Anyway, she would learn to forget. And so showed me when suddenly she stopped crying little by little and separated from me. She stood still and dried her eyes.

"Sorry, I remembered something and… Sorry, excuse me." She said bowing, then she stood up and she was smiling. "Lunch will be ready on a while. Why don't you go and wake Shin up? He will like to have a shower before meal. Ah, Yasu said he will also come here for meal. So that means four people for meal and dinner."

"Oh, ok." I said. "I have to leave for my record agency. It's still a bit work to do…"

She seemed to go a bit sad but she said nothing.

"Ok, then I suppose I will have to keep some meal at the freezer." She said smiling as if all was ok.

"No, it's ok." I said. "I'll come for dinner, if you don't mind. I suppose that Naoki will also want to say hello so…"

"It's ok." She said. "He is welcome here too. And you can also tell Reira."

"You should try to get a bit further from us." I said pocking her forehead softly. "After all, we are all two enemy bands."

"Ah, music understands of enemies?" She told me. "I thought music just understood of Love, Friendship and Peace."

That made me smile as I waved bye from the door.

She was still a bit tender and conscious of reality and hard at the same time; that was why she was perfect for that silly of Nobu. And he had left her run away…

"If I had a girl like her I would never let her go." I said as I was sitting next to Takumi while he did more change to the last work he was working at.

"What are you speaking about?" Takumi asked at me angry.

"Hey!" Reira said. "Don't let out your self-rage against Ren! He has done nothing on you!"

"Takumi, you are so evil some times….!" Naoki added.

"Why have you come here if you are not doing anything!" He asked at them even angrier.

"To support you while you work." Reira told him hitting his head softly with a paper.

"Stop it!" Takumi said.

"Takumi, I think I will have dinner out again tonight." I told him.

"Stop flirting around and centre yourself on not giving another scandal!" Takumi told me.

"I'm not doing anything wrong." I told him. "Geez… I suppose the best thing to do now is to leave you alone for you ending with that."

"I'm going too!" Reira said catching me up at the door.

"Hey! Don't leave me alone with him!" Naoki said nearly crying.

So, the three of us left the place. Those days, Takumi was a bit angry with everyone due to over-load of work and his perfectionist way of acting. Then it was better for all of us to leave him alone before he did something we all would regret.

When Naoki left on a taxi to get to somewhere he wanted to go, Reira and me used my car to take her back her home.

"Do you have any news from Blast singer?" She asked me.

"No, Nana keeps avoiding me." I said sighing.

I didn't knew why she always asked me about it when she knew nothing new had happened.

"I was not referring to her." She then said looking ahead but to me by the corner of her eye. "Has she recovered from all the dung press are throwing at her?"

"She is somehow dealing well with it." I said softly. "Anyway, she is a bit bad and not cause that. Her boyfriend and her broke up yesterday due to press."

"Ah, yes." She then said. "Shin has told me something about Nobu and her having problems and tension lately since the first appearance of certain photos…"

"You knew it was Nobu?" I asked her a bit surprised on her knowing it.

"Yep, Shin told me." She said smiling. "I really envied them, they made a great couple. And again I was mistaken… it seems red threads doesn't really exist…"

"No, they don't exist." I said. "They are more fragile things than threads that people do themselves. Sometimes they are so weak that a simple dust dot can break them…"

I was now remembering not just Hachi-Nobu or Isa-Nobu, but also Nana-me history. All seemed to end up like that, sad endings.

"Ah, I have to stop at Channel to get something back, do you mind taking me to the big TV corner, please?" Reira then said.

"Oh, sure." I said turning to take her there.

While we reached there I told her my little worries about the foe band's singer health. She then seemed to also worried, but suddenly she smiled.

"She is strong both outside and inside. You have always said so." She said smiling softly. "She will get over that."

"I want to hope so." I said as we arrived to the place she wanted me to drop her. "Anyway, that doesn't mean I can't stop worrying about her. Especially when I see her try to be strong keeping all her pain for herself."

"That's not good." Reira said as I stopped to drop her.

When she went down the car, she put her head through the open window and smiled at me.

"Say her hello from me, right?" She asked me. "Tell her to call me if she needs someone to listen to her complains. And if you want my advice, if I were you, I would try to get her for me. Perhaps she is all you need and you all she needs."

"Reira, stop taking those sleeping drugs, please." I said joking at her. "They make your brain go really mistaken as drunk."

"As you want, Ren." She said waving bye before stepping at the pavement and waving bye again.

I then drove back home. Shin told me I could leave him a pyjama for me so when I went there I could use it instead sleeping on my jeans.

Anyway, I went to a barging shop and bought a cheap one that was formed on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, all in bluish grey colour and plain. No pattern, no trademark… nothing. I could understand why it was so cheap. I also bought a pair of slippers I would also drop there and, when I went past a chemist's on their neighbourhood, a toothbrush for brushing my teeth there.

Anyway, that was not the last surprise. I was driving through a side path when I nearly went over an animal that curled up at the road. Immediately I stepped over the brake and went out of the car to check if I went over whatever it was.

Luckily for me the animal was on one piece. Save and sound but shivering a lot. It was a bit dirty with dust and when I took it I checked it was a grey dirty kitty that looked as abandoned. Anyway, it seemed to have fainted because it kept its heartbeats so I took it with me. I put it over my jacket at the front seat.

I then went to the house and when I rang the bell, Shin opened the door.

"Oh, hi." He said. "Come in, come in. Isa must be about arriving back from walking a bit. I suggested her that cause she seemed a bit down again."

"I have brought the pyjama as you suggested me. A toothbrush, cause I wanted to clean my teeth from time to time when I have meals here, and… this." I told him showing him the fainted kitty at my coat. "I thought I had driven over it but all it got from my car was a huge terrifying moment. If you are not allergic to cat's hair perhaps you could keep it." I suggested. "But first let's bath it." I added as I smelled it. "It smells as if it has been living at a litter bin…"

Shin just smiled happy when I said the kitty stank, he offered to clean it but I was faster. I would bath it on some water to clean its hair. I was cleaning it as if it was a little hairy toy when he came back with the hairdryer.

"Does it have a name?" He asked.

"No, I just took it." I said. "I don't even know if it's boy or girl."

The kitty was now mewing softly as it seemed to be still very little. When I cleaned it better I checked it was a white cat with grey tabby lines and silken hair. It looked as an albino tiger.

"Perhaps we should take it to a vet first." Shin said as he dried its hair with great care. "I think I know a pet shop owned by a vet ex-student that dropped the studies. Perhaps he would tell us if it's boy or girl and if you broke something in it."

"I said it just got scared." I said.

Anyway, we took it to the pet shop and the guy at the counter had a look at the kitty.

It was female, 1 or 2 months… still a bit young but elder enough for eating solid things and being taught to live as a pet cat.

"It seems healthy but for her heartbeats." The guy said. "They are a bit fast, but as you told me you nearly drove over her perhaps it's just the scared reaction."

Then he began telling us on basical cat cares and Shin bought some cat meal specialised for kitties of that age. He also sold us a bathroom tray for cats and a special thing for them to sharpen the nails.

"Believe me; you will prefer this to your curtains and furniture." He said.

Then he wanted to sell us something else and we refused. What we bought was an anti-flea necklace that allowed the owner to adapt to the cat's neck width.

As a present I also bought them a carrying box for them to move the cat whenever they had to do it.

**Isabelle L. Part**

"Shin, I'm back home." I said after closing the door again.

I was sweating a bit after having run for so long. Shin was certainly right when he nearly ordered me to get out and train for a while. Running made my head be busy on running and not thinking on anything else.

Anyway, when I arrived there he was nowhere to be seen. I just shrugged and went to have a shower before he came.

I had that shower and I sang while I did it. Then I dried myself a bit and put on my bathrobe to dry my hair a bit. Having such a long hair is a bit of problem to get dry. I don't like using hair dryer so I always twist it to remove the most water the best and then I begging rubbing my hair with a towel till I wrap it on the towel making it look a bit as a turban.

Then I walked to my bedroom and put on a kimono over my underwear. I have never loved that kind of robes to wear, but I have to recognise they were nice on hot days like that for staying home.

After a while, I removed the towel showing my wavy nearly curly red hair falling at my back as if it was a red silken waving curtain. I then began cooking some dinner. That was also taking Nobu out of my thoughts, and perhaps I could drink a bit more of black vozka if I had any left. I checked it up. Yes, there were still three bottles left hidden as last time Yasu tried to throw it to the litterbin.

I was counting them when I heard Shin arrive.

"Heya!" He said. "Ren has already came for dinner."

"Hello!" Ren added to Shin said. "I hope I don't bother you."

"No, not at all." I said taking one to put it on the fridge and hiding the rest back. "I had already came had a shower and I was ending cooking some dinner."

Then I realised they were carrying some bags.

"Wow, you went shopping and you said nothing?" I asked.

They were beginning to leave me aside too. Not just Nobu dropped me.

"Ah, yes and now." Shin said smiling. "Ren brought you a present."

"Close your eyes first." He said smiling as he kept something at his back. "And put your arms ahead, please."

I then smiled as I put my arms ahead and closed my eyes. Then Shin covered my eyes to get sure I didn't look and I was given something soft, really soft.

"What's this?" I asked them smiling in fun. "Looks like…"

"Mew!" it said.

Then Shin removed his hands from my eyes and I was astonished as I saw a kitty that resembled to a white tiger cub with a red ribbon with a little bell at its neck.

I then hugged it laughing in joy.

"This tabby cat is really super-extra-hyper cute!" I said moved. "Thanks!!"

"Ren bought you the carrying box to take it on travels and to the vet." Shin said.

"Hey, I got already paid with that smile." Ren said. "By the way, it's a girl. You should name her."

"What about Hachiko?" I asked remembering a legend one of Shin's maids called Tama used to tell us when I was little and visiting them. "It's not a dog but…"

"Nah, it remembers us to someone else…" Shin said.

"What about Jumpaku or Sasameyuki." Ren said. "As it's all white… something related to snow will match her wonderful."

"I think the last one was good." I said thinking. "Sasa… how was it?"

"Sasameyuki." He repeated me. "It means Little Snow Flake."

"Then that matches her wonderful." I said smiling as the kitty rubbed her head against my face. "Sasameyuko." I said.

"Sasameyuki." Shin said. "Hey! What about friendly calling her Sasa or Yuki for making it shorter? You would easier remember it."

"Good idea." Ren said then. "Or perhaps Nancy as Sid's girlfriend, hum?"

**Ren's ****Part**

"Good idea." I said then. "Or perhaps Nancy as Sid's girlfriend, hum?" I added remembering she was also a _Sex Pistols'_ fan.

"Yuki is good thanks." She said smiling as she raised the kitty to see her better. "What do you say? Do you like Sasameyuki or Yuki for short dear?"

The cat then tried to lick her face but was a bit far.

That made us laugh as we said that must mean she liked the name.

Anyway, we began making the new "girl" in the house, her toilet, eating place and bed.

We settled the "toilet" tray at the real bathroom next to the human toilet. It took us a bit to fill it cause we didn't knew how to fill it.

Then we settled the cat bowls for meal and water and then, after filling them we settled her bed next to a radiator while Isa cooked meal and settled the table for us.

Then we saw her settle table while we sat on the sofa to smoke a bit.

"I wonder if Nobu would come." Shin muttered for me.

"You told him about?" I asked him.

"Yep, but he has not answered me…" He said.

"Shin, where did you leave the wine cups?" Isa asked him.

"I think Nob… They must be on the right cupboard." He said stopping when he was about saying Nobu's name.

Whatever he did he just cared about both of them. Perhaps it was because they were his best friend and his cousin. I don't know. Anyway, there was something else.

Someone rang on the door so Shin ran to open it because he thought it was Yasu.

"Yasu! What took you so…" He began saying.

It was not Yasu.

"Excuse us." A delivery man said. "Miss Okanzaki lives here?"

"Hum." He said nodding.

"Who's up, Shin?" Isa asked from the kitchen.

"Miss, we have a delivery for miss Is-a-b-bel-lle Okanzaki"

"Miss Isabelle Okanzaki." She said getting to the door frame followed by me too. "I'm Miss Okanzaki, so… what's the delivery from?"

"England." The man said as she signed up the note. "It arrived Tokyo this afternoon so we took it here because it was high preference…"

"Send it back London." She said stopping signing serious. "I said I will not get more international deliveries from that destiny."

"But missus!" The man said frightened on the idea of having to return the box all that way and suffer the fury of the sender.

Then we heard some barks and we put the heads out of the door hole into the corridor to see some men were carrying a big box with holes.

"Ah!!" Isa said running to get the box and then pushing the men holding it and taking an iron bar from one of the men to open the cage. "How has he dared!! He is worst in the world!!!" She said as she tried to open the box.

"Hey, what's wrong now?" I asked.

Then she managed to break the lock of the box and we saw a big black and yellow head coming through the now open trap door.

"My poor friend…" She said hugging the big black and yellow thing jumping over her till it made her fall backwards.

"Nero and Lucius." Shin told me as I saw it was two bodies in fact. "Hey, Isa. They are too big now…"

Then the things saw us and began running towards us.

"Oh, no!" Shin said. "Close the door! Close the door!"

I then was forced to do it and we heard how the two things barked and scratched the door.

"Shut up!" Isa ordered them to then them falling silent. "Ok, sit."

I suppose they sat because she then knocked on the door.

"Ok, let us get in." She said.

"No!" Shin said. "I'm not allowing those two mad things to get me!"

"C'mon Shin." She said. "They are not bad guys… Just a bit big. Open the door…"

"Shin, I think we should obey." I said.

Then we heard something hitting the door.

"I said sit!" She said. "Shin! Open, we don't want the neighbours to get angry at us!"

Then I unlocked the door and Shin ran to hide.

Anyway, two seconds later the two big things were over his chest, licking his face till Isa arrived.

"Hey guys." She said. "Leave him. He also is happy to see you."

She then hit their butts softly and then they went away Shin, seeing me.

"Sit, guys." I muttered as I saw the two things coming menacely towards me. "Sit boys… Sit!" I shouted when they jumped over me.

"Hey, Ren." Isa said smiling "They also like you."

"Take them away from me!" I said shouting.

Then one of the dogs held my neck and I wanted to shout but I couldn't.

"Drop it Lucius!" She then said putting her hands at his neck to pull from him. "I said drop it!"

Then she hit the back of his neck a bit hard and he dropped my neck so I held it.

"Excuse him, he hates people shouting." She said taking them away from us. "Not to say how they go when someone threatens me." She added patting their head.

Then she smiled as the big things sat down.

"What are them?" I asked. "Demons?"

"A German Shepard and an Irish one." She said. "They were my pets on England."

"Dogs?" I asked.

"Yep, but… I see neither my father nor my brother took them to the hairdresser lately…" She muttered. "I will have to take them here…"

"Do not count on me to do it." Shin said then.

"Don't worry…" She said. "I'll take them to the hairdresser before going work tomorrow."

"Perhaps you would like me to take you?" I offered her as I realised she would not be allowed on the train with those two beasts.

"Well…" She said then. "I could take them on my car…"

"Bah, I don't mind taking you to your work." I said smiling. "As long as them don't jump to my neck."

"There's a trick for them not to bite you." She said. "Bite them first."

"Drop it." Shin said embarrassed.

"As you want." She said. "But perhaps he would do it."

"To do what?" I asked.

"Biting them behind their ears." She then said.

"Don't even try." Shin muttered as she took them to a spot in the living room. "They just allow her to bite them…"

I then went purple as I saw her taking them some meat and them jumping to get it. They were terrifying with those big long teeth and fighting to get some meat.

I couldn't help but to feel how a weird sensation climbed up my spine making me shiver once.

**Yasu's ****Part**

It was nearly night when I arrived Okanzakis' home, and I mean Isa and Shin's one. I couldn't hear voices inside till they opened the door for me, then I heard the chaos her house had turned into.

"Get in! Get in!" Shin said before closing the door after me. "Ren! They are at the kitchen!"

Then I saw how Isa jumped over the sofa wearing what looked as a swimming costume and Ren running towards the kitchen.

A second later, I saw a couple of black things coming out of a sheet Isa was carrying at her arms the best she could as it moved a lot.

"Lucius, behave!" She was saying. "Ren, I'm taking him to the bathroom!"

"Ok." He said wrestling with another sheet wrapping something that was pulling from him.

He seemed to be having problems with that. Then I raised an eyebrow.

"Shin, what's going on?" I asked him that seemed not to being taking part on whatever they were doing.

"They are trying to bath the two demons." He said going to help Ren who was being pulled by the moving sheet.

"They seem to hate baths." Ren said as Isa finally managed to close the bathroom door. "Baths, and normal water and dog food…" Ren said. "Ah, and my tobacco."

Then I heard some shouts at the bathroom and how the water splashed a wall.

"Who is possible that she can keep those things around?" I then asked helping them holding the sheet wrapped thing. "I came to have dinner but…"

"Ok." Isa said coming out of the bathroom soaked and carrying a big dog tied with a chain. "Here, can you dry his hair a bit while I bath Nero?"

"I expect this one doesn't bite too." Ren said then.

"He likes it, don't you dear?" She said caressing his hair and making some water drops fall from his hair.

"Ok…" He said not very convinced as he took the chain and the dog barked at him while Isa took the other sheet and pulled from it while a big dog head got out of it and began biting the sheet ends where she was pulling.

"Ren." I said after she closed the bathroom door again as he acted a bit scared towards the dog. "Are you sure that one is not mad?"

"She said so." He said.

"They have been a bit scary even when they were just puppies." Shin said handing Ren the hair dryer. "Ah!" He shouted when the dog tried to bite him. "They were supposed to be at England!"

"So you knew she had those pets." Ren said.

"It's the pets she owes." He said. "She named them like that because they were a bit vicious towards people trying to hurt her!"

"Stop it, Nero!" We heard her shouting as we heard a hit on the bathroom door.

Then we went a bit frightened.

"Should we tie him somewhere before beginning trying to dry him?" Ren then asked.

"It'd be animal cruelty but I must agree." I told him.

Then we managed to tie it to the heater because he moved even the sofa.

**Isabelle's ****Part**

It was a bit hard to bath both dogs, especially when they didn't like human soap too much either. Anyway, finally I managed to end up with Nero. He was the worst to bath because he was strong and too clever for normal tricks. Anyway, when you managed to soak him, he behaved better.

"Ok, Nero is also ready!" I said walking out of the bathroom holding his collar after having wrapping my hair on a towel and put on my bathrobe.

Then I saw Lucius standing tied to the radiator looking a bit embarrassed and with his tail at his legs.

"Hey, don't do it." I told them hitting their necks with both hands while Nero shook to remove more water from his hair and I untied the poor dog. "He is not so evil..."

"Ok, we settle table and you end up drying them." Ren said standing up to walk away with Shin to hide at the kitchen.

Yasu on the other hand stood at the living room, his tie loosened to feel better and with his shirt wet.

Then I realised they were all a bit wet and shook my own head.

"Yasu, please. Can you hold my little ones while I take you a pair of dry kimonos?" I asked him handing him the two collars. "I thought you would be clever enough for not allowing Lucius to make you all wet."

**Yasu's ****Part**

It was very late on the night when we ended the meeting. Shin was sleepy and Isa a bit drunk. Ren was also a bit drunk. And I must admit I was not on my best either, but not drunk; I was tired.

As I was offered to stay there at the guests' room I agreed to stay there. Ren had settled himself at Nobu's ex-room so I was helped to put a bed out of the wall and I settled on that room. Anyway, I heard Ren making noise at the girl's room where he had taken her.

"Hey, I thought you were sleeping at another bedroom." I told him.

"I would if she was not hugging me." He said. "Don't worry, I'm kindda used to this when she is like this. I'm not doing anything wrong on her despite of what you can think of me."

I then looked at him. It was true; it was her who was wrapping him with her arms, while the two demons lay at her side carpet as if they were a pair of bodyguards.

I saw also a little white thing sleeping at the living room when I arrived. It was a white kitty and the two dogs didn't even attack it, they smelled it but didn't touch it.

"Three pets." I muttered to myself as I took off my clothes from the radiator where she left them and turning them to dry the other side. "I wonder if they will be able to stand it too long…" Then I thought it twice as I went back my room for that night and got in the bed. "I suppose this will help them a bit too…"

My last thought that night was addressed to Nobu and her. I wanted them to fix things up because if they kept on like that they would just hurt themselves. Nobu was going through rough time too, and she was evidently not well either, even if they faked smily faces when they were together.


	23. Chapter 24

**EPISODE 24****: LOVE AWAKENED.**

**Isabelle L. Part**

I think I have been sleeping for ages again, but it's just a full night, once again.

I have wake up a bit late today too, I had a terrible headache and this time I saw someone was by my side. I smiled as I thought Shin again sneaked in my bed tonight, but not he would never sleep next to Nero and Lucius and they seem to have spent the full night next to us. I then hear noises outside my bedroom so half the way of revealing who is the one sleeping there.

I walked out into the living-room followed by my two kids to see Yasu is already there. And after all, it's not so late.

"Hi." I said smiling. "Did you spend the night here?"

"Yesterday night you weren't on your best again, were you?" He asked preparing me a glass with something. "For redraft."

"Thanks." I said smelling it and then taking it on just a swallow so as not to be rude. "I don't think I can remember everything happening yesterday night."

"Nobody having so much amount of alcohol would be able to remember it either." He said sitting at the table. "Ehem, do you mind?"

"Nero, stop." I ordered him.

Then he stopped sniffing Yasu's trouser as growling to just growl. Then I caught a meat piece and threw it to him so as him to stop bothering Yasu.

"What are you going to do with those two demons?" He asked me.

"I am keeping them." I said. "But first… I will make them get their hair cut a bit. They look a bit shabby now."

"As a real pair of fur balls." He agreed smiling mildly for a second.

"Well… are you also staying here for meal?" I asked him.

"I'd love to, but… I have to work." He said. "Anyway, perhaps I could come for dinner."

"That'd be wonderful." I said smiling.

Arisa Terashima….


	24. Chapter 25

**NANA EPISODE 25: ****WEIRD SENSATIONS.**

**Isabelle B. Part**

It was funny; when Nobu and I split up I didn't thought it would take me so little time to recover again. It took me just a week and a half to recover after having being sent my two dogs from London. Yet I spent most of the time alone at Gaia's Training Camp on the mountains. I went there all alone and just the staff and friends knew I would be there. Anyway, I was offered to be sent someone to help me there and I refused.  
"I'd like to have some time alone." I told Mr. Nishimoto. "Don't worry; I can survive on my own. Furthermore, I'll take my two babies with me."

They already knew Nero and Lucius cause I had taken them there when I took them to the Hairdresser's and vet, and also another day cause I would have to work there for nearly the whole day. And I think they didn't like them either; plain and clear: They were also afraid or a bit afraid of them.

Anyway, the following morning I left for the camp. As it was hot, I had planned on spending the days hiking and swimming at the lake.

"You don't have to leave, you know." Yasu told me before I left.  
"Yasu, stop worrying for me." I answered him. "I really need a gap. You know, I need to stop, think about everything and nothing… And I can't do it here."

"Then let us go with you." Shin said nearly begging.

"I'm glad of your offer but no, thanks." I answered him back smiling. "But you can make me a favour."

"Say!" he said. "Whatever you want!"

"Take care of Nobu." I told them closing the boot of my car. "You have done all you could for me. Please, do the same for him. I'll be just fine. When I come back I'll be more than fine again."

That came to my mind while I walked to a wonderful spot I'd found the last time we were around there. Hiking through the forest with Nero and Lucius running and chasing little animals, getting away for a while to then reappear minutes later. I was certainly having fun there.

My plans were to get there and mount my tent there. It was a wonderful spot surrounded by threes and next to a water fall with a lake-like pool where the waterfall fell.  
I knew my dogs would certainly have lot of fun there. There was plenty of space for them to run, jump, chase animals… and of course, swimming.  
I loved swimming, it prevent my mind to think anything else and relaxed me.   
As soon as I arrived there I stopped over a big rock where I could see everything down my feet: the Training Camp buildings, the dusty road leading there, the lake were we had swum and fishing when we were there… Everything seemed just wonderful there. For a moment, I missed having a pair of wings to have flied around and let wind cradle me on the air, caressing me with its soft touch.

Then I turned, jumped down the rock and began mounting my tent. What I didn't knew was that had just went out of the Training Camp lands when I crossed that iron fence someone put there once in order to prevent animals and trespassers to get in the lands. And also that a bit further from where I had settled my tent, there was another building, this time bigger and more luxurious than the camp the company had. Just up the water fall, following a trekking path.

**Ren's part**

I was on the sparing time hut on the mountains we had made built for us when we were in need of a relaxing gap. Now we had some free time but for Takumi, I had told the rest I would spend some time there for relaxing. Just a day or two. Naoki immediately offered to came too. I thought Reira would also come but she said she would stay at the city. Then I knew Shin was there too. In fact, I didn't knew where the red haired had gone till today that Yasu called me telling me she was out of the town on a secret spot, alone with her dogs and looking for some silent to think about her things and relax a bit. I must say Yasu was a bit worried about her cause she didn't want anyone to go with her. Anyway, he and everyone knowing her a bit knew she would have no problems on living on such a building.

"Say baldy." I had told him. "Do you know where is that spot? Perhaps we could get there and check she is alright."

"It's a secret place for Cookie people." He said. "I can't tell anyone, not even you."  
I wondered if he wanted me to have an eye on her or not, because he called me but he didn't tell me the exact place where she was, just that she was at the Training Camp on the mountains.

Anyway, that afternoon Naoki and me took my car and drove to the hut. It was a good place because it was on a calmed place next to a little river that ended on a water fall. Anyway, getting to the base of it was a bit difficult so we had to nearly drive there or jump. We loved to jump from the water fall top when we went there on summer. Takumi went mad when Naoki or I did it and Reira went frightened. But I personally think it's funny. Another activity we could do there was cycling, yet we didn't do it too often. Other activity we could do was just walking on nature, what was a bit boring in my opinion, but perfect for thinking and relaxing. Anyway, my favourite was getting the waterfall and throw stones down at it. Relaxing, funny and interesting if you did it against someone. Especially against Naoki that didn't had any ability for it. But he had a special gift for splashing with his stones. And also cycling with a pair of mountain motorbikes we used for racing and racing freestyle through a near path at the nearby where some earth bumps were perfect for freestyling.

That afternoon was not different.

**Isabelle B. Part **

I was swimming with my dogs when I heard an indefinable sound appearing to be a roar from a motor. Then when I got tired of floating and swimming I went out and began walking around with my pets in order them to have some action other than swimming at the water for seconds and then going back to earth. I was used to Nero and Lucius chasing an animal and disappearing for some seconds, but I was sitting on a rock to rest a bit .Then suddenly I realised that Lucius was missing. I had just taken my sight out of him for a second since I sat down but he seemed to have disappeared just then. I then began calling him, but he didn't seem to appear and it was beginning to go a bit dark due to a storm coming near.

Nothing happened; he seemed to be further than what I thought. And I didn't want to think about it but I was beginning to think something bad had happened to him. So I kept on walking around with Nero by my side and calling Lucius madly.

**Ren's part**

Naoki and I finally decided to take the motorbike. We were a bit bad with the freestyling but anyway we got fun out of it. We were returning back the cottage due to a storm about arriving when I heard Naoki shouting while I parked out of the cottage. He had been left behind cause he had to stop in order to pee. Now he was driving madly as he arrived back the cottage white as a sheet.

"A wolf!" He babbled when he reached me. "There's a wolf somewhere over there!"  
"Don't say nonsenses!" I told him. "There are no wolfs around here."

"I tell you it was a wolf!" He then said again.

He was really terrified so I thought it was not a joke to pull my leg.   
"Ok, let's have a look at your wolf." I said.

I knew there couldn't be wolfs around there cause in case there were, they would be upper in mountains. And of course, when it was about raining no animals but for slugs would get out and risk getting soaked with rain.

It was terribly hot, so I was wearing just my jeans and no jacket or helmet. Then we began moving a bit to look into the "wolf" matter.

Anyway, when we arrived the place where Naoki said he saw the wolf it was plain clear there was no wolf there.

"Are you sure it was a real animal and you didn't imagine it?" I then asked him.  
"Yes!" He said still a bit frightened.

"There are no wolfs so low at the mountains." I told him. "You must have imagined it."  
But just in that exact moment we heard a howl that curled up our veins. Just as we realised it had began raining.

We then reached next to the waterfall surroundings and then we saw a tent.  
"What is this doing here?" I asked noticing the tent.

"Who cares?! There's a wolf or more around here! Let's get back the cottage and lock doors and windows!" Naoki said terrified holding my arm.

I was also a bit frightened, especially when I identified the howl as not too far from us.  
Then I saw it, a fast thing moving towards us and then a pair of eyes with a long fanged mouth looking at us.

"Ah!!" We shouted when the thing jumped over me.

**Isabel L. Part **

I was looking for Lucius when it began raining. I would have loved to move back to the tent but I didn't want to leave Lucius there without knowing if he was right or not.  
Suddenly I heard a not distant howl coming just about 300 m. from where I was. I then began running towards where the howl came.

I was about reaching the place when I heard a terror scream coming from another spot near where I thought the howl came from.

**Ren's part **

"Stop, boy." I said. "Good boy. Stop, boy."

It was not a wolf what had jumped over me and what Naoki saw on the forest. It was just a dog looking a bit dirty and wild. When it jumped over me it fell over my shoulders making me fall down and getting my shoulder between his jaws. It was pressing a bit but it didn't even hurt much.

Naoki was terrified, really terrified for moving the slightless.  
"Move, boy." I told him. "Stop, boy. Good boy. Drop it, boy."

I kept on trying with no results.

"Lucius! What the..! Drop it boy!" A female voice said.

It took a bit but finally it dropped me and howled. I stood up holding the place where he bitted me. He had not even made me bleed.

Then I noticed it was a dog, and not any dog. It was one of the monsters Isa had as pets.  
"Good boy." I said patting his head. "What are you doing here all alone?"  
"Ren... that's a wolf." Naoki told me.

"No, it's not." A voice said from behind us.

Then I looked at our side and saw a shadow lighted with just a lightning.   
Again Naoki and I shouted in terror.

**Isabel L. Part**

"Stop shouting, you morons!" I shouted to the two guys Lucius and now Nero had got by their necks. "Drop them guys! I said drop them!"

Then both dropped their necks on my command as I had hit both's butts softly for them to stop holding their necks at their jaws.

Then I held them by their dog belts and pulled from them to move from the guys. Suddenly I realised that I knew the two preys.

"Ren, what are you two doing here?" I asked them.

**Ren's part**

I thought a killer was there when we saw the person with the lightning and we shout. Then the dog and another one held us by our necks down to earth once again.  
"Ren? What are you doing here?" The person said.

Then I realised it was Isabelle, my friend and the "wolfs" were her pets.

"Same goes for you." I said rubbing my throat. "Uggg, we are soaked and dirty now..."

I had got used to that welcoming from the dogs when we shouted. I had forgotten they hated shouting people.

"Don't tell me you are the one living here." I asked her while Naoki stood up terrified of the dog that had bitten his neck.

"I was camping here for tonight." She answered me.

"Ah!" Naoki said then realising on who was. "Nice to see you here too..."  
Then I realised that she was wearing what looked as a pair of shorts and a cotton shirt that was now stick to her body cause of the heavy rain.

"Mind if we keep on chatting back at the cottage, please?" I asked them as the rain went heavier.

"The tent is nearer." She said.

"No." I said. "The cottage has a good ceiling and is warmer than this."  
Finally we managed to convince her to come with us to our hut. I didn't doubted on her, but I really doubted that tent would stand such a heavy rain as it was falling now. So I made her mount on the motorbike behind me while Naoki mounted his own one. Then the dogs would follow us while Naoki carried her bag.

When we arrived the cottage we parked the motorbikes at the tool cabin and we ran in the building soaked to the bones.

"Uff, finally we are safe..." Naoki said. "Ahhh! What are those things doing in too??!!"  
"Stop shouting." She said from the door soaked from head to toes. "They hate shouting people."  
"Here." I said handing her a towel. "We'd better dry up a bit before we catch a cold. Naoki, why don't you light the fire at the fireplace? We could hang the wet clothes there."  
"Good idea." He said, and then he stopped. "But I don't know how to do it!!"  
"I'll do it then." I said as the dogs began moving from a place to another as if they were mad. "Isa, can you tell them to stop at a place, please?"

"Nero, Lucius, sit!" She ordered them.

Then the two big dogs stop next to fire place and laid there. Perhaps they were terrifying, but I must add they were really well trained.

Then I went to light the fire while Naoki went to have another towel from the toilet.  
When he came, Isa sneezed once and then again.

"You should remove those before you catch a bigger cold." I told her as I wrapped myself on my towel to remove my trousers and underwear to dry them.  
"Yes, I suppose it's... atchoo!... The best idea, yep." She said sneezing once again.  
Then she began removing the shirt and shorts till she was wearing just what looked as a little swimming top and knickers, all a two pieced swimming costume.

Then Naoki began bleeding from his nose and me too.

"Can I borrow a sweater to wear, please?" She asked. "I'm afraid my clothes were all wet due to rain..."

We didn't said anything, but Naoki lent her a t-shirt that looked as a short dress on her, she wore it on the bathroom and when she came out she was looking really amazing with just a t-shirt from Naoki and towel covering her as if it was a weird kind of long skirt.  
She then put her wet clothes and underwear for dry them next to the fire too and sat down at a sofa, her hair wrapped on a towel so as to dry it.

"Did you also came here to relax?" She asked us.

"Yep." I said going out of my astonishment. "I mean... Takumi was working and I asked him to come here and rest a bit. Naoki is just as a flea."

"Wonderful..." He whispered as he stared at her.

"I'm sorry Nero frightened you." She then said. "I lost him of sight from a second and he seemed to get lost."

"Don't worry." I told her then. "That silly mistook him for a wolf."

"Oh, he scared me." Naoki said still bleeding from his nose for a second as he realised she was wearing nothing under the towel and his t-shirt which fell gracefully over her shoulders.  
"Sorry." She apologized then again.

"It's no use now." I told her. "So, what were you doing on our lands?"

"I thought I was still on the record agency's lands." She said. "I have came here looking for silence and peace for making my mind up."

I knew what she was referring to with it. I supposed she had still not forgot Nobu. Seeing her so unprotected made me feel like protecting her; and not just me.  
"Anyway, living up on a dirty tent all by your self is hard." Naoki said. "Why don't you stay here for the night? You could share room with me if you feel cold in the night."  
My jaw opened and she went pink on the proposal she was just been done.

"She is not!" I said. "There are plenty of rooms for her to stay! So there's no need on her to share it with you!! In any case she would share it with me."

I didn't thought it would be any use, but it seemed it was.

First, she refused sharing bed with any of us yet our acting made her laugh. Then we smiled. Naoki knew of what happened to them and he could be lot of things but he was not a bad guy. He went also happy to have made her happy for a moment.

The two dogs were a different matter, when I said they were as her bodyguards I didn't exaggerate the slightless. They really protected her, day and night.

Anyway, now she was with us there was no need for them to do it. Naoki and I would take care of her for that night and the following days.

Beginning for leaving her have Reira's bedroom.

"Hello!" I said after knocking on the door. "I was wondering…"

"Hi, get in." She said smiling as she shuffled the cards a bit weirdly in front of Naoki. She seemed to have had some fun, then I looked at them.

"Naoki!!" I told him getting to her side and taking a bottle from her side. "I told you not to allow her to get any bottle!"

"Allow me." She said kissing me and taking the bottle back to her. "This is mine… Ah, we were playing a hand to cards. He was teaching me how to play Poker."

"Perhaps I can make her play strip Poker when she gets how to play."

"No poker, please." I said. "She is not on her best…"

"I can play!" She said. "I'm just ok. Just some hands, please…"

I really wanted to play against her, if she was not better than us then I would really enjoy on seeing her, but…

Who cared! I wanted to see more!

"Ok, ok. But just some hands." I said. "Naoki, that goes for you. Just to underwear, right?"

"Yep!!" Both of them said at once.

Then we began playing. I could remember someone once mentioning me she was as a really good croupier from Las Vegas Casinos. Seeing her loosing her sweater and accessories made me doubt it.

Then she began looking at it.

"Wanna keep on with it all?" I asked her.

"Yep." She said. "May the looser shuffle the cards, please?"

It was really funny how Isa changed in less than a minute. When she was just wearing an underwear t-shirt and the towel as if it was a skirt, she began winning once and again. Now I knew why Yasu and the rest didn't want to play against her to that.  
Funnily, she seemed to be satisfied when we were just wearing a towel after having lost everything else.

"Another hand?" She asked shuffling the cards with not even looking at them.

"I think that for a night is more than enough." I said. "If we lose again we will be completely naked."

"Pity..." She said smiling in fun. "Ah, this is just great."

"What has he given you?" I asked them.

"Some shake." Naoki said smiling. "She says beer does nothing on her."

It was true; I think her record of beer with no effects on her was at 16 cans before she began feeling a bit sleepy. But shake didn't seemed to affect her much either.

"Naoki..." I told him.

"Ok, she has drunk what remained of that Russian thing Takumi bought on the airport." He said.

"Vozka!" She said happily. "But I prefer black one! This one is just too weak..."

"It's 56º, that one." I said holding the empty bottle she had left on the bin. "What graduation does the black one have?"

"70º" She said serious. "And then there's the normal black one. And... Have you ever heard speak about Jack Daniel's? Oh, I also love that one... I can drink 4 glassed on a row and nothing happens to me."

"Wow!" Naoki said surprised. "That's too much alcohol..."

"And which degree is that?" I asked.

"90º if the tag is black and 85 if it's green." She told me.

"Ok, I take this." I said taking the bottles to lock them again. "You are a great danger to yourself when you drink too much."

I wasn't able to say much more because she fell asleep at the ground.

"Do you think she is ok?" Naoki asked. "I didn't want her to go so drunk that she would fall asleep..."

"I told you not to allow her laying a finger on a bottle. She is keeping her depression for herself!" I told him as I locked the mini-bar again and went to their side. She had been laying on a big blanket so I wrapped her as I could on it.

"C'mon, let's take her to her bedroom..." I added her as I managed to hold her up. She seemed to weigh less than before. "Has she gone on a diet lately?"

"She seems a bit thin, I must agree." Naoki said. "What happened for her being so... like that?"  
"Her boyfriend and her break up a couple of weeks ago." I explained him. "I'm really worried about her cause it's not usual on her to act like this."

"Well... I must agree she must have an iron stomach to stand so much alcohol on a go."

"I think she has drunk a full bottle of one of her vodka kinds. It really tasted as medial alcohol..." I told him as I laid her in the bed.

"Ren... Ren... I'm freezing..." She then muttered.

"Shh..." I told her. "It's ok... It's not cold in here."

"Ren... it's freezing here..." She said. "Can you get here and hug me till I can heat a bit..."  
Naoki and my noses then began bleeding as we saw her bare leg getting out of the blanket.  
"I'll get in there." Naoki said happily.

"Nobody is going to get in there." I told him as I held him by the back of his collar. "Isa, we will put another pair of blankets over you, ok?"

Too late, she had fallen asleep again. We then put the quilt over her and went out of the bedroom.  
"Ren, you have spend some nights at her place, haven't you?" Naoki asked me. "How is she when she is sleeping?"

"You have seen her." I told him. "Ah... I wish I had something so warm next to me tonight..."  
Then he went shocked as he seemed to understand what I meant.

Anyway, I went in my bedroom before he could ask anything else and closed the door.  
Our bedrooms were a bit little but warm, Reira's was biggest one from all. Anyway, she would not even realise on it as she would have fainted due to alcohol.

I stayed looking at the ceiling for a long while, thinking on Nana and me; I could understand how she felt cause I had felt something similar when Nana and broke up.  
I wanted to have shared my life with her forever. I would have even died for her. But everything was far now.

I wanted that girl to feel a bit better. Yes, she was the one who listened to me, who stand me when Nana and I went discovered as couple some time ago. When I was not with the other Trapnest members.

Now it was my turn to help her a bit.

**Naoki's part **

I had met that red haired goddess long time ago, even when I didn't remembered about it and Ren remembered me when she was revealed as Blast's new singer. Since then I have met her a bit more on some other occasions. I didn't saw her as a friend, just I couldn't. Everything I saw her I did it as a woman she was; a fucking perfect beauty woman that looked as a real goddess from my point of view. A woman I would do without even asking her for money, in fact, I would pay nearly anything for having the opportunity of doing such a woman up.

Anyway, when Ren told me why she was like that, my point of view changed a bit. I felt pity for her. I didn't knew well how she felt cause I had never being tied emotionally to anyone, no girlfriends to cry for, no split-up depression... Nothing.

Anyway, I couldn't see such a beautiful and amazingly funny girl so sad, despite of her hiding it. Then I heard her crying for a second, I thought on standing up and going to try and comfort her a bit, but then she stopped crying.

Before I fell slept, I thought that while we were there I would not allow her to leave. No, I would do whatever I could to try and make her feel a bit better.


	25. Chapter extra

Hello, once again I want to change Nana's story. This time is in chapter 42 of the real world comics where it shows Nana's group's story in future (just some pages on the beginning of the chapter). Well it says they keep on having flat 707 and that they kept on joining there to see the summer fireworks at the river side, doesn't it? It ends when Nobu arrives and Nana fills a bath tube for him to have a bath, adding some bath salts. Nobu, Shin, Yasu, Nana Ichinoise and Sasuki Ichinoise (Takumi and Nana's about 9 years old daughter) are already there but Nana Oosaki and Ren are still missing.

And this is where we take the story.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**EXTRA CHAPTER: ANNUAL FIREWORKS. OLD TRADITIONS.**

"And how is that summer for you Hatchi?" Shin asked Nana Ichinoise (Komatsu).

"We can't complain, can we Sasuki?" She answered smiling while the little girl played with her new doll. "The house has refreshing system so the weather in home is the heat we want."

"Ah!!" Shin said. "I wish we had that too!"

"By the way, do you know where your red haired lady is?" Nana asked.

"You know her." Shin said. "She will come soon but she had things to do so…"

Then we heard a car horn down the window and we smiled.

"Ok, we know where she is now, don't we?" Shin said.

"I think we should tell her not to blow her horn here when she arrives late." Yasu said. "Or the neighbours will complain again."

Three minutes later a lady wearing a good, well branded and expensive kimono knocked on the door smiling and Sasuki ran to open it.

"Ohaio everyone." The lady said getting in the room.

"Aunt Isa!!" Sasuki said happily jumping to her neck. "You have come!!"

"Hello." Everyone said.

"Hello, Isa." Nana said smiling. "Happy to see you have found the place."

"I'm not so silly so as to get lost." She said. "I have had to return back over my steps just twice before arriving here by car."

"But Nobu gave you a plan to come here." Shin said.

"Oh, I think you mean this." She said taking a piece of paper from her breast with just two fingers. "Don't tell him but I think Sasuki would have drawn it better."

They the looked at the plan and had to agreed with her while they held their laugh. Nobu had drawn it at a paper and it didn't looked too clear to be a map.

"And where is him?" She then asked. "Did he also got lost?"

"He is at the bath tube." Nana said. "I was to tell you to change clothes but…"

"Ah!" She then said. "I have brought a little present for Sasuki from England!"

Then she put her hand in her kimono sleeve and took out a present.

"Ooops, this is not Sasuki's!" She said smelling it. "Shin's… Yasu's…" She added taking a bigger one and then another two normal sized ones. "Nana and Hachi's… I think I lost them!!"

"Oh, no!" Sasuki said looking into her sleeve. "They can be lost!!"

Isa then smiled motherly and in fun while Sasuki looked into her sleeve.

"Sasuki." She then said. "How long is you have not washed your ears?"

She then looked up at her.

"Look what you have in your ears!" She added acting as if she was picking something from her right ear. "Ah! They were not lost! They were in your ears!"

Sasuki and Nana then went really surprised as Isa took a lot of packets from Sasuki's ear. And then the little one took them surprised.

"Wow…" Nana said surprised looking at the red haired as she uncovered her mouth. "You can do magic…"

"It's too easy to perform magic for a little girl and… well, and Hatchi." She said sitting up on the table with Yasu and Shin and taking a beer from the fridge.

They then drank their beers while they all opened their presents and Nana and Sasuki went really thrilled when they saw their presents. Hatchi got an expensive foulard and Sasuki got a good branded t-shirt and some toys including a limited series doll.

Nobu then asked about the shouts from the bath tube and Isa stood up and walked there.

She first knocked on the door and then got in to kneel down next to the tube full of foam.

"Hello, my love." She said then. "Did you miss me?"

"Just a bit." He said smiling. "So, how was the travel? Did you found the house?"

"Oh, yes." She said smiling as she put her hand in the water stirring the water. "And the travel was just fine. And I saw my father, weird but… anyway, I managed to close the agreement and we have now the other hotel firm."

"I think I'm the boyfriend of a shark woman." He said smiling and taking her hand to make her get to his face and kiss her.

"Oh, I nearly forgot." She said smiling. "I got you some presents. They are outside so when you get out…"

"You know I will like anything you have bought me." He said smiling sweetly.

Meanwhile on the living room, the rest chatted.

"And you said she was over England and then back here?" Nana said.

"Yes, even now she is our singer she has still a family." Shin said.

"She has more family sense than others I know." Yasu said looking at him. "Anyway, her brother called her so as her to fly over England and met a man they had to deal with. So she went there and dealt with the man. What I don't know is if she got what they look for."

"I bet she did." Shin said. "She always gets what she wants. She is a good business woman and she can be really persuasive if it's need of."

"You seem to know her pretty well for the little time you have always spent with her." Nana said. "Could it be my dear Shin had an affair with the red haired Celebrity?"

"Is it true, uncle Shin?" Sasuki asked. "Are you really dating her?"

"No!" Shin said laughing. "Just some nights on the same bed…" He added sexily making Nana yell in surprise and Yasu go red.

"Hatchi!" Isa said going out the toilet. "Is everything right? Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes." Shin said. "I was just telling them we have spent some nights on the same beds."

"True, but I think they have mistook what you meant to say." She then said looking at him and then realising Sasuki was also there. "Shin, there's a little girl. Please…"

"They took it as I meant, but she is right." Shin said. "There was cousin's love and nothing more. She has always done better men… ouch!" He said as he was hit by the red haired.

"Stop it, Sasuki is there." She told him softly. "C'mon Sasuki." She added smiling at her. "Do you want to come down with me and light a couple of the crackers I brought you all?"

"Sure!!" She said happily.

"I've got some butterfly ones, the noisy ones… ah! And I have also brought lot of those sticks that give off light sparks. And Shin, I brought you the dragon eggs."

"Yeep!!!" He said. "I used to love them yet I have just seen them once!!"

"I think you should wait for Ren." Yasu told us. "He will also like that child's occupations."

"I want to take Sasuki far from the two perverts." She said smiling jokingly. "Anyway, I'll keep some for him too. I never get my luggage checked on my family's jet."

"Amazing…" Hatchi said when Shin, Isa and Sasuki left down to the river side to light and play with the firecrackers. "A jet…"

"I think her family had three, so now her mother died she kept her mother's one." Yasu said. "And of course, her father would not allow her to travel from Tokyo to London on a normal plane full of commoners."

"So she really is a princess!!" Hatchi said astonished.

"NO!" Yasu said laughing. "She is just born on a really wealthy family, so her father takes great care on her well being even when she has turned down all her offers of that. All he wants her is not to put any kind of dirt over the family name."

"What a nasty family!" Hatchi said as Nobu went out of the bathroom wearing his male kimono as he tied his obi. "Poor Shin and Isa… With such a non loving family…"

"She has not being as unloved as Shin." Yasu said.

"Who are you talking about?" Nobu asked.

"Your lover." Yasu said. "Nana said she was as unloved as Shin, I disagree."

"I don't think she was unloved as Shin." Nobu said sitting at the bench. "But she has never been too loved either. She told me once she didn't like her life and that was why she did the best she could to look for her father's approval and then she was tired of crashing against a wall and decided to start a new life far from her family." He added looking out of the window how the three of them laughed at the riverside playing with the firecrackers.

"She has been given the best of the best by her father." Yasu said. "But she seems never to have been given what she looked for."

"Love." Hatchi said dreamily understanding.

"And a father's approval." Yasu said. "To say it that way, she would also be a kind of orphan as Ren, Nana, Shin or me. She comes from the same family than Shin so their lives have not being so different."

Then Hatchi fell a bit moved. She could imagine how it was, even when she had never felt like that she could imagine how they had felt. To her eyes, Nobu was a warm dog, she a noisy one, Yasu a wise and silent dog, Shin a distant puppy… but Nana, Ren and Isa were cats. Life had made them like that.

Life made them like that. They had been beaten up, unwanted and given the back by society or their families. She had grew up on a noisy family that loved her very much even when her parents complained too much about her giving them too much problems and Nobu on a little family that loved him despite of him leaving them to play guitar professionally. The rest had never been shown love by their families and that if they had one.

Suddenly, Ren and Nana's distant and twisted nature was explained cause they didn't met their parents; and Isa's warm nature of caring for the weaker ones or considering them as family was also clear for her.

The red haired was forced to become that cause of her growing up alone. She was strong to take care of herself and no needing on help for achieving what she wanted. She must have felt cold lot of times, sad and depressed. But she got over everything standing against adversities. That was why she adored Nana and Isa so much. They were really strong, inside and outside.

"I think I'll cook them some biscuits next time we join." Hatchi said.

When night was about falling, and they were ending having the meal Hatchi and Isa had managed to cook for all, Ren arrived. As he said he arrived just before the fireworks; a quarter of hour before then.

"Hello!" He said. "Ah!! Isa!! You are also here!!" He added jumping over her neck as if he was a little guy.

"I'm also happy to see you too, Ren." She answered smiling.

"I'd heard you were off for a working trip." He said being separated from her by Nobu in jealousy.

"Oh, yes. My brother wanted me to be on an agreement meeting he had to get another firm under his iron fist so I couldn't say no to my own brother." She said smiling. "By the way, here you are…" She said smiling as she handed him some presents.

He opened them to discover a box full of animation films and a punk t-shirt.

"From the same place where Sid Vicious from Sex Pistols used to bought his clothing." She said as if it was something normal.

Ren then went more than happy while Hatchi offered him some dinner he refused because the first firework lighted the sky.

Hey, Nana. We are all together on the old flat Hatchi and you shared. This year I'm also here, feeling as if I was filling an empty space I will never fill the way it is. Because I have to fill my own space but also one I know I'll never be able to fill as you did. Because us, people are the same on a 94 but that 6 of difference is just what makes us so different yet we are so similar on the same way.


	26. Chapter 26

**NANA EPISODE 26****: NEW KISSES.**

**Isabelle B. Part**

I was sleeping when I saw a weird vision. I was in a great hall, wearing as the perfect tycoon daughter I used to be. Acting as it was supposed from a girl with my status.

Then I saw how my new friends from Blast and Trapnest were around there; not everyone. Nobu was missing, Nana Oosaki was missing and Ren was missing. Suddenly I saw someone holding my hand while I was smiling to everyone there. Then I turned my face and shouted when I saw my dad smiling as a guy with no face held my hand.

Then I shouted and I saw a guy coming to rescue me. Then I got married to someone, but I didn't saw his face… When I was about seeing his face…

"Nero!" I said as he was licking my face. "You have to be always that opportune?!"

Then he stopped and sat back on the ground while I noticed Lucius was crouched at my feet.

I then laid facing the ceiling while some sun beams were hitting my face making my eyes being half close.

"Where am I?" I muttered. "This is not my home… and this is not my tent…"

Then I heard guys' voices outside and I nearly jumped out of the bed, especially when I realised I was wearing just my knickers and a man's tank top.

"What have I done??" I wondered sweating.

I could remember some things. Last thing I could remember was playing strip-poker with Ren, Ren and… Naoki!

I then touched myself till I noticed I was wearing knickers then I relaxed a bit. That must mean I did nothing I could regret now…

I then held my neck at the back and laid my head backwards, breathed deep and looked around. It was a girl's room. I could see a lot of plushies and pink things that nearly made me feel sick. Especially when I saw myself wrapped on a pink quilt. That made me literally ran out of the room to check it was not part of the nightmare.

As soon as I went out of the bedroom I saw Ren shouting something at Naoki while he went out of the bathroom soaked and wearing just a bathrobe open on his chest.

"Oh, hi." He said when he saw me opening his eyes. "Sorry, didn't wanted waking you up."

"It was… not you." I said looking away a bit pink.

"The boiler has got damaged." Naoki said appearing at the corridor. "Oh, hello sleeping beauty." He added on a sexy way.

"Mo… morning?" I said him. "What's wrong with the boiler?"

"I'm not a technician so I don't know." He said then.

"Why don't you try hitting it?" Ren asked him.

"I have tried but…" Naoki said.

"Damn…" Ren said then. "I will have to remove the foam with cold water…"

"Stop crying you little guys." I said a bit bothered. "Let me put something else on and I'll have a look at it, right?"

"I think I'll clean with cold water." Ren said then.

"A bit of cold water doesn't kill anyone." I told him.

Then I walked in the living-room and took my clothes. I had a summer dungaree as my exchange clothes for walking so I took it and my underwear and went to change into the toilet.

**Naoki****'s Part**

I had been frightened when Ren shouted when the boiler broke up. After going up to inform him I noticed Isa was there wearing just the same than in the night. She seemed still a bit disorientated but well. And so damnly sexy when she had just woke up!!!

She offered to have a look at the thing when she got wear with something else she went to look for at her bags.

"You don't need to wear anything else." I told her. "You look cool just like that."

"I think I prefer wearing a pair of trousers too, thanks." She said. "Oh, yes. Do you have some water and fruit salts here please?"

"Hangover?" I asked her remembering Reira used to drink that after a night out drinking a couple of beers. "I think you should try with artichoke pills Reira uses to take."

"No thanks." She said as she drank the water on just one gulp. "That is ineffective, as fruits and some other things that commonly are thought to be effective…" She said before drinking a bit more. "I prefer water and perhaps a banana, nuts, chicken… Those have Vitamin B6. That's really effective for that."

"I think we have some nuts around here… Yep." I said handing her some. "You seem to know about it."

"I have had to deal with this… million times." She answered leaving the empty glass over the kitchen surface to walk towards the toilet carrying a boulder of clothing rolled to form rolls. "I usually take some prickly pear cactus fruits."

"I don't know of those." I recognised.

Perhaps I was showing her I am just another silly blond, but I really wanted to know of that.

"Really?" She said. "Oh, sorry. I forgot perhaps you don't have those here. It's a fruit about this size, red… a bit unpleasant to eat on the time you must take them for this but… highly effective. It reduces the effect on alcohol hangover by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators; furthermore, some studies have yielded differing results, with some studies witnessing significant reductions in nausea, dry mouth, and loss of appetite as well as the risk of a severe hangover. So I take that really willing when I'm suffering of hangover."

I think she didn't planed to do it, but she had made me go gobsmacked at her wide and nearly not-understandable for me explanation. All I had understood was that those pears were something really wonderful for hangovers and that they were a bit hard to find on Japan. I could also understand the symptoms they healed.

Anyway, while we chat and she was at the toilet, she had changed clothes into something else.

"Sorry, I have made you bored." She said smiling mildly as she walked out. "So, where is that boiler? I'll do what I can for fixing it, young men."

Then I was astonished as I saw her going out of the toilet ready for dealing with something that seemed to be bigger than her.

**Ren's Part**

I was having a shower when suddenly the heater broke up so I shouted and ran out of the bathroom shouting to Naoki after a while when I asked him to fix it and he didn't do it. Then I saw Isa coming out of Reira's room and apologized for having wake her up and she said it had not been me as she looked away apparently embarrassed on me wearing just a towel around me. Then Naoki came and he told me he didn't knew what was going on with the heater and we went a bit nervous. However, Isa acted as a super heroine once again. She offered to have a look at the boiler.

I didn't thought she could even have a try against the boiler-heater when Naoki wasn't able to do it and he said he didn't fix it by the old "Hitting it" way; so I went back in the toilet getting ready to clean myself with cold water.

When I ended I was shivering slightly as the mountain water was freezing cold comparing to the one in Tokyo. I put on a bathrobe and then I began drying my hair with a dry towel as I walked down.

"Hey, anyone in the house??" I asked.

"Ren?" Naoki called me.

Then I walked to the room where the boiler-heater was and I saw him sat on his knees with a tool box next to him. And I also saw a pair of feet coming under the boiler.

"Have you called a technician?" I asked him.

"No, she is having a look at it." He said.

"Wrench, please." She called putting a hand out of under the little space where she was laying. "Hi, Ren. Nice to hear you."

"Here." Naoki said passing her a wrench. "What are you doing now?"

"I think perhaps it can be a loosened nut or maybe it's you hit something you shouldn't have so… Anyway, I need to remove something to try and get back it."

"No, get out of there and enough." I said. "You will end up by hurting yourself."

"Why?" She asked. "Yuck!! Men! How long haven't you clean here?!"

Then we saw how a fur ball rolled to our sight. Then we saw it was in fact a dead rat.

And Naoki began shouting so the dogs came.

"Hey, don't allow them to eat it." She told us. "Nero, Lucius, out." She told them then.

The two dogs didn't left, but they lay at the door.

A minute later we saw her legs disappear and then I decided to get there too.

"Not enough wide for me…" I muttered when I wasn't able to get in where she was. "How is it?"

"Good." She said. "Could you turn the green thing to the right, please?"

Naoki then turned it and she shouted and we heard a thud.

"Are you ok?" I asked her.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry…" Naoki said.

"Ouch! I said to the right!" She said a bit angry. "I have hit myself against the heater…"

"Ok, ok." He said. "Then… here you are."

"Thanks." She said. "Ah!" She said as we heard a hissing to the stop. "Try with the blue now."

Ten minutes later the heater was working again after some little troubles and she began working to put everything on her way back as normal before getting out.

Then I laughed as I saw her with her hair messed, wet and dirty, as her face and hands, with black powder and dirt from the place.

"You look as a sexy tramp." Naoki said laughing too.

Then she looked at herself and laughed softly too.

(Naoki's voice)

"It's incredible she finally laugh." I told Ren as we got the motorbikes ready for some practice.

"Well, you must agree with me that she was so funny with all that dirt all over her and with her hair so messy that you couldn't help laughing." He said back. "I hope she wants to come to see us and doesn't get bored."

"I think girls would kill for seeing us doing whatever we want to do." I told him. "What do you think she will be wearing like when she gets down?"

I began trying to imagine it, but I couldn't. We allowed her to get anything she needed from our wardrobes because her clothing was now just washed or getting dried but still wet as we checked before getting out.

"Don't know." He said then. "I bet it will not be a dress, so perhaps something of us."

Anyway, when she came out I felt as if my eyes were about falling from its orbs and Ren wore the same face.

She was wearing her long and wavy hair untied with a bandana holding it backwards off her face; she seemed to have went into both Ren and mine's wardrobes and took a pair of elastic tissue faking leather from Ren's and a hooded sleeveless sweater from me.

What I loved more was the sweater whose arm hole was so big that her breast was barely seen so she had put a tube top covering her breast and allowing us to see the rest.

"Well, where are we going?" She asked smiling as she came to us.

"We were thinking on free-styling a bit." Ren said.

"I ask to carry her." I said faster than him.

She then smiled as Ren offered her a helmet. It was his own so he would ride without it. In exchange she gave him the bandana he tied to cover his head. Then we cycled fast towards our favourite spot to practice.

**Ren****'s Part**

Naoki and I were cycling doing some freestyling while Isa was sat on a rock seeing us and clapping for our best acrobatics. Naoki was beginning to go happy of catching her attention so well, and I smiled as I knew she was just seeing him as a friend. Anyway, even I was proud of catching her sight and her claps when I did it well.

"Hey, who is best?" Naoki said when we stopped and taking his helmet off.

"Both were good." She said.

"Do you want to have a try?" I asked her offering my motorbike. "If you know how to drive a motorbike."

"I can drive both motorbikes and cars, thanks." She told me smiling to stand up and get my helmet.

"Er… be careful not to fall, ok?" I told her when I realised perhaps she could drive it but not freestyle.

"I promise I'll do my best for not falling." She said putting all her hair in the helmet the best she could and fastening it.

"Try copying an easy one." Naoki said.

"I bet I can surprise you." She said.

"Allow me to disagree." Naoki said. "And if I'm not surprised then you will sleep in my bedroom."

"And if I surprise you I sleep with Ren?" She said joking.

"Well, it sounds ok for me." Both Naoki and I said.

"Ok… later do not cry." She said lowering the visor of the helmet. "It was you who suggested the bet."

We really doubted she could do anything to surprise us; but obviously we were mistaken.

We saw her get to the beginning of the way we used for doing freestyling and make the motorbike let out smoke as she held the brake. Then she let it go and we saw the motorbike begin running faster and faster.

Anyway she didn't stop there. We saw her do some acrobatics over the motorbike without falling, then she stopped at the end of the track and with a single step on the ground, she turned the motorbike to go back the other way round.

And then she made us held our breath when we saw her flying doing a perfect curl with her motorbike on the air, then she linked it with a perfect angel acrobatic, literally flying over the motorbike with it without even touching it but for her belly. Then she sat back on before landing and stopped the motorbike.

"What do you think?" She said taking the helmet off. "In a real bet I would have got the motorbike."

"I think she won… again." I said swallowing and holding Naoki's collar to prevent him to jump to her neck once again.

"For a night, I have Ren at my bedroom." She said winking. "Your fans would kill me, and any room would be better than the one with so much disgusting pink things."

"See?" I told them. "I told Reira million times pink is not nice."

"But pink is so femalish…" Naoki said as a deceived little kid.

"It's disgusting." Isa said. "Since I was six it has make me go sick. In fact I think that since that age I have never ever wore pink. I could Green, blue, white, red… all colours but for pink."

"Ok, ok. You don't like pink." We said. "And what about food?"

"We know you like strong drinks." Naoki said. "I mean… Takumi will kill you if he finds out you ended up his vodka. He treasured it."

"I'll buy him a bottle." She said. "I will give him one of my personal collection, happy?"

"I don't think he wants to die from vodka drinking." I said. "He will burn inside and die."

"That's not true!!" She said offended. "It's just vodka! It's not poison!!"

"I don't think…" Naoki began telling me about it when we reached back the hut.

"Believe me; she must have a steel stomach" I answered him while she got in the hut again and rubbed her pet's heads motherly.

She then walked out to walk the dogs a bit and we stayed in getting some food of the cooked one we had brought ready for dinner time when she returned.

"I don't believe she has any kind of strength against strong alcoholic drinks." Naoki said. "How would have her developed it? She is said to come from a wealthy family."

"Maybe cause of that." I answered him. "Or maybe because she is also say to have been drinking strong things since she was elder enough for it."

"I wonder what kind of life she has had for being such a surprising lash." He then said.


	27. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER 27****: FROM HERE TO HEAVEN.**

(Isa's voice)

I couldn't believe when Ren and Naoki brought me to my agency's training camp the very following morning.

We were silent because the three of us knew what happened the previous night. The kisses at the darkness of the living-room just lighted by the fire at the fireplace. Even when I knew I had definitively broken up with Nobu, I wasn't feeling completely well with that all.

"We have a party tonight at Tokyo's suburbs." Naoki said. "Perhaps you would not mind to come."

"C'mon Naoki." Ren said. "I bet Blast was also invited."

"I don't know." I said going out of my daylight awaken sleep. "I should turn my cell phone on…"

Then it burst on messages and lost calls. That made me go surprised and Naoki and Ren laugh after a while.

That made me feel a bit better, while I picked up the little things I brought there they took care of my babies and then I went out to pick my car and put all in the boot.

"Ok, ready to leave." I said. "You got lot of messages and calls; won't you have a look at it?"

"Yeah, yeah." I said. "While I'm on the way back."

"I think I'll drive your car while you do it." Ren said then. "I'm not too fond of the idea but… Naoki could drive my car."

"Yeeep!!" Naoki said happy. "I'll finally being allowed to drive that car!!"

"Just because we don't want our best competitor's singer to get died on a car crash." Ren told him.

He then smiled at me and offered me his hand. I didn't thought when I hit it smiling. No, I needed no help. I had noticed it now. I was hard and that was why Nobu dropped me. Because he got tired of having to stand at my shadow on protecting matters; than that the fact that in the past I was not a good girl either. Yes, I had lot of mistakes I now regretted, but I never dropped them because I got pregnant from other man.

That was I thought while I heard all the messages at my mobile and read the written messages.

"So, anything important?" Ren asked me.

"No that I can see…" I said ending reading and beginning listening again. "Work, friend's mails… More work, you see?"

Then I heard a familiar voice on the other end of the phone and I went white. Ren must have notice it because he went a bit worried.

"Anything wrong?" He asked me.

"Yes, my family." I said worried hanging the phone down. "I mean… my father will be giving a party and as he is ill my brother has told me to go to the party."

"Then go." He said throwing his cig through the window.

"No." I said dryly. "You can't understand it, can you? I decided to live apart from them."

"C'mon…" He said making me put my head at his chest with just one arm. "I know you are willing to go. Forget your pride just for once and go."

"So, what is that all for?" I said separating from him. "I don't want to go. I don't want to become a porcelain doll again."

"Really?" He asked me. "I have never seen a human doll. Do you also wear those little robes and cute things?"

That made me laugh softly.

(Yasu's voice)

"It can't be true." I said while Nobu had breakfast with Shin and me.

"You have gone back with that actress?" Shin asked. "I can't believe you did. After all you dropped our Isa because she seemed to have had some past relations she is not much proud of."

"That's true." Nobu said. "But at least Yuri didn't lie to me. She told me who she was from the first moment. Isa didn't tell me she had been dating so much famous men. And a porn star!!"

"Ah, and Yuri is Mother Teresa of Calcutta too?" Shin said angry. "I'm not going to be angry for you dropping her with such weak accusations, but I'll be mad if you said so and then began going out again with an old porn star."

Then I had to step between both. Even if I had to agree with Shin that Nobu was being too twisted for him, I couldn't allow them to fight openly in a public place.

"Let's wait for her to arrive and then we will see." I said.

Then Shin stood up and walked to the toilets angry, that moment was when I took my opportunity to speak Nobu man to man.

"I agree with him." I told him. "Saying a thing and then doing the opposite is too twisted for you. If you wanted to drop her just had tell her openly why and do not lie such obviously to everyone."

"I didn't lie to her." He answered. "It's just… she has lied to me. She never told me how many men she did before me. And I can't keep on acting as if nothing was happening trying to protect someone who doesn't want to be protected."

"You should have told her that way." I said softly after falling silent for some seconds. "I can't force you to go back with her but…"

"I hate when you think I don't care about her." He said a bit angrily looking away. "I don't want her to be depressed."

"If you are not going to date her then you should care less about her." I told him off. "And if you care so much of her then go back going out with her, idiot."

I think I was a bit too hard to him, but he was needed of it. If he wanted us to tell him he did it well, to support him… that he was mistaken.

Anyway, when Shin came out, Nobu said he was on hurry and left.

"Do you think he will understand?" Shin asked me.

"I don't think he has even grow up much since Nana times." I recognised. "Anyway, have you told your cousin about the party tonight?"

"Yes." Shin told me. "I suppose she turned her mobile off cause I have called her lot of times but she has not answered."

"Well, then she must have it doubled cause I did the same." I said lighting a cig.

(Ren's voice)

"So, you are coming to the party?" I asked her.

"Yes, I think so." She answered smiling. "Yasu and Shin told me about it so I must suppose they are also going."

"I'll come to pick you up then." Naoki whispered her smiling. "But do not tell Ren." He added winking at her sexily.

"Naoki, she is mine now." I told him. "Do not forget it."

"I'm not of anyone's." She answered standing stiff. "Anyway, yes. I'd thank someone came to pick me up. But I bet Gaia would send someone to pick me up."

"Don't worry, it will not be a too smart party." Naoki said. "Just… family party."

"I know how family parties are for high status people, don't worry." She said smiling. "I'll be reluctant yet I hate those kind of parties."

"I bet you are." I said. "You have lot of personality, you are hard. I bet you will just look brilliant to show everyone you can do it."

"We will see." She said. "It's lot of time since I don't wear like that so… perhaps I deceive you. Till tonight." She said smiling.

"See you then." Both of us said.

"Ok, let's bet on the outfit." Naoki said. "I say she will wear something princess like, as Reira."

"I can't see her like that." I said driving and trying to imagine it. "No, I say she will wear smart but not too much. Something cool but on the same time comfortable."

"Don't think so." Naoki said laughing. "She will look as a princess and Reira will have competence."

"We will see, tonight." I answered him.


	28. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER 28****: THE PARTY.**

(Isa's voice)

"Ahhh!!" Yuki the male caretaker in the staff that Gimpei sent to pick me up said when he saw me going out of the lift wearing my blue channel night dress for casual parties on the high spheres. "So cute!!"

"Thanks." I said smiling and laying my head slightly to a side. "I wanted to match the party."

"It's just so… surprising. You will certainly catch the attention at the party." He told me while he drove to the party place.

"And why is it so surprising?" I asked confused. "I mean… I thought you had already seen me like this on one of the concerts."

"Yes, but… after Nobu and you broke up…" He said making me shocked. "We thought you would not be on mood to come so pretty."

"Ah, Yuki, Yuki, Yuki." I said smiling with my eyes closed in pride. "You still have to learn about women's minds." I added looking at him by the very corner of my eyes. "I want to show him I'm ok and what he is missing since the very moment he dropped me."

"You are so cool!" He said in admiration making me laugh.

(Nobu's voice)

"Are you sure she would come?" Shin asked nervous. "I can't see her!"

"Just stop worrying." I told him. "You know her, she will make an entrance."

"Nobu!!" Yuri said waving at me. "How happy to see you are here!!"

She was really sexy wearing a red dress that looked as a Channel or a Prada, letting half seen her breast.

"What is she doing here?" Yasu and Shin asked me with serious faces as if they were angry. "What would happen if she sees?"

"I…" I began saying trying to find an excuse.

"Yuri!" Naoki said arriving too. "Oh, dear! You also came! I didn't know you were invited too!! Perhaps you would not mind me showing you the bedrooms?!"

"Stop it!" I said.

"Haven't you thought on what would happen if Isa finds out?" Shin told me off.

"Too late." Ren said putting his cig off and pointing with his sight to the door where Yuki, one of our staff members had appeared with the red hair untied floating around Isa. And she made our jaws fall down as we saw her wearing a blue dress matching perfectly to her red hair.

Immediately she was surrounded by a lot of men that began speaking to her and congratulating her.

(Shin's voice)

After some minutes she arrived to where we were, and Ren held her arm as she smiled.

"Good evening Ren, Yasu, Shin, Nobu…" She said. "And who is the voluptuous miss?"

I knew Isa was a bit angry to see Yuri was with Nobu, anyway, before we could say anything to make it softer for her, Yuri spoke.

"I'm Nobu's new girlfriend." Yuri said smiling. "Nice to meet you, ex-girlfriend."

Damn, this was to be a women fight.

"She is Yuri Kosaka." Nobu ran to introduce her.

"Isabel L. Okanzaki." Isa said still smiling holding her hand out for Yuri to shake it.

"Er… Isa, there's a wonderful Bourgogne at that table." Ren said trying to move her.

"Oh, sure." She said. "Do you want to have a cup with us too? Oh, excuse me. Where are my manners? Bourgogne is a kind of expensive wine."

"I knew it was wine." Yuri said. "I'm not silly or poor. I have drunk it lot of times."

"Nice." Isa said smiling even wider. "I suppose you have then travelled a lot." She said.

"C'mon Yuri, let's met Mr. Kokawa." Nobu said trying to separate the two ladies before they reached hands.

Anyway, I knew my cousin would never ever lower herself to body fight at such a place like that, at a social event.

"I've been over all Japan and Thailand." Yuri said. "But I bet you can't speak so high. You have even lost your man."

It was done; I could see it on Isa's eyes. Yuri just put the finger on the wound. Now Isa would not control herself and all of us knew the fault of what she would get would be fully Yuri's.

"I then suppose you bought your dress there." Isa said still mildly and smiling. "I mean, no Channel shop would sell such an obvious forgery as yours. I bought mine especially from Coco Channel in Paris, last year. She is always asking me to model again for her new collections but… you know; singer's life is too busy for thinking on anything else such as acting or modelling."

"Er… nice dress." Naoki said noticing as everyone else of us what was going on, that the chat was getting hotter and hotter between the two ladies. "Yuri, I have seen your manager around there. Shouldn't you look for him? I'll give a hand."

"Sure, Yuri." Isa said taking her cup. "Go and look for him or he will tell you off. Nice to have met you." She said kissing her cheek once. "Hope to see you around again. Cause I doubt I can see you around on Paris' mode week next month, or the Okanzaki's party next week."

Then Nobu held Yuri's arm with Naoki to force her to move away and when Yuri was away, Isa left the cup on the table so hard that it shattered and she had a glass sunk at her hand while the wine remaining at the cup began dripping out of the cup.

"Are you ok?" I asked her.

"Yes, why shouldn't I be?" She said. "He has not taken too long to go back to her."

"We didn't know." I said. "I swear."

"Isa, your hand…" Ren said making her notice she was bleeding from it cause she had cuts and a little glass piece sank at her flesh.

She then noticed it but didn't say anything of pain or like that.

"Do you excuse me?" She said. "I need to get to the bathroom."

"Sure." We said.

Then we saw her go and get lost in the crowd.

"I'll see if all is right." Yasu said.

"Oh, sure." I said.

Then I noticed Ren was missing.

"Yasu, I think Ren went after her." I said. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm worried about her." He said.

(Isa's voice)

I was so furious and hurt that I couldn't find the bathroom. Then I realised I didn't even know where it could be. And suddenly I was held by the arm by Takumi that pulled from me to a corner.

"What has happened?" He asked.

"It's none of your business." I said. "Where is the bathroom, please?"

"On your room, over there, third door on your left." He said still holding my arm.

"Thanks, now…" I said pulling my arm to release it. "Do not follow. It's private bathroom."

I then walked fast to where he told me it was my bedroom and got in it with the key I was given when I joined the party.

I would have locked the door but I forgot; so as I was crying, not cause the cuts an sank glass pieces hurt, but cause seeing Nobu was dating with a girl so soon after he dropped me really hurt me, I didn't heard someone knocking on the door and opening it with a piece of metal string.

I noticed there was someone there when I raised my face to look at the mirror and saw Ren looking at me worried at my back.

"It hurts after all." I said trying to explain my tears.

"Ok, let me have a look." He said holding my hand softly.

He then began taking the little glass pieces out of wounds and washed them once again with no complain of my part. Then he tool his handkerchief and wrapped my hand with it. And that reminded me on Nobu once again and while I did it that silly bitch in a red forger Channel dress came to my mind and I wanted to hit both. Anyway, they were not there.

"You have behaved as a really lady." Ren said as if he had read my mind. "I was really terrified to see how well and with touch you defended yourself against that sex goddess…"

"I hate that kind of girls that are dirty and chase men for their money." I said still a bit angry. "Even if she likes him it's plain clear it's cause of his money and his kind nature."

"Can't you just stand he has began going out with someone else?" Ren asked me. "He seems happy now, you should be happy now."

"I would if he had not dropped me for her!!" I said angry and crying against his chest.

Then I expected him not to do anything, to push me away and tell me not to cry; but instead he put his arms around me wrapping me.

Then I couldn't help it as it just came casually. He made me look at his eyes raising my face from my chin and then smiling he got nearer me. It was unexpected and lasted a bit. Then, I let myself go and kiss him back.

(Reira's voice)

I had been chatting with several people when I decided my throat was in need of a drink. And when I was about reaching there, with Takumi by my side we saw the row between the red haired sing of Blast and Yuri, the porn actress.

They were not fighting but just speaking acidly one to the other, as if they wanted to degrade the other and hurt her opponent. Really a true lady fight. And then Yuri told her something really hurting about her having lost his boyfriend and being just a poor girl. I think that was the drop causing the patience of Isa to run off.

Isa began throwing her an acid but true comment after another. Mainly calling her bitch for being porn actress, poor cause of her forgery Channel dress and not having gone out of Japan.

I have not travelled out and I was not as rich as her but I knew she would never call any of us poor, just Yuri; and I couldn't blame her either. That Yuri was trying to hurt her the most she could.

When her friends, including Ren and Naoki managed to take Yuri away from her she left her cup at the table with too much strength and I was afraid she manage to break it. And Yuri was not better either, when they were far enough, she hit Nobu's face with her open hand. She slapped him I don't know why.

Anyway, I felt Takumi leave my side and chase the red haired. That made me sad as I felt pity of his wife, Nana.

When he came back I told him.

"You should stop trying over women when you are engaged to a wonderful woman about giving birth to your heir."

"I have no interest on that woman." He told me. "She is really pretty and shines as a true star but she has an awful personality."

I didn't think her about it but then I noticed why he had said it. He would have probably already tried over her and she slapped him. Now I say so… I think I can remember of him wearing a red hand mark over his cheek. I had to giggle while I thought on how he was slapped by her for something.

"It's not funny." He said. "Yuri must be now mad and she could do any mad thing. We don't want she brings up to light the little secret Takumi and her have. That would just endirt our group's name."

"Oh! There's a girl that must be depressed right now, a mad girl with a sad guy over there and all you can think about is our fame?!" I told him angry but on a normal level of voice.

"Do not shout here." He told me off. "You know there're also press members around here."

(Ren's voice)

"I was wondering…" I said as I ended bandaging Isa's hand and kissing it for helping her healing. "Perhaps you should tell Nobu I'm also your new boyfriend."

"That would just make things worse." She answered me. "No, better not to tempt things up. We don't want to give an scandal here."

"Don't you want to make Nobu pay for it?" I asked her in surprise. "I mean… I would make him feel hell tonight if he was the one that dropped me."

"If you are suggesting me to try and get him back…" She said.

No, that was not what I wanted. I finally gave up Nana's getting back when I first kissed the red haired. No, my new goal would be keeping her with me.

"No, I mean just making him suffer because he can't have you any longer." I said smiling. "Yet I bet you have already managed it. I can tell you that Yuri is not as hot as you, yet perhaps she is more skilled."

"She is a porn star." She said finally half laughing. "Of course she is better than me on that."

(Nobu's voice)

We were finally at Yuri's bedroom where I was trying to comfort her a bit. I couldn't say she was the good one and Isa the evil one cause it was Yuri who began the attack by releasing the advice by speaking so rudely to her. She always did it when she was feeling threatened by a girl. First Nana and now Isa.

And how could I tell her she was the best one when Isa had gone over her just fair and square, keeping her lady manners in all moment and not allowing Yuri to make her hit her there. I knew she would have preferred to fight Yuri her own hands instead having to fight her verbally. That would have released her fury relaxing her.

But I couldn't think on her any longer. It was me who decided to split up with her. She had lien me. She had done a lot of men and not even told me.

"Miss Nurse…" I said trying to take Isa out of my mind and on the same time comforting Yuri. "I think I'm ill of love… I just can't stop my little Nobu to rise each time I see certain actress…"

She fell for it and I managed to do her up and comfort her.

(Ren's voice)

I wanted to do Isa up then, but she didn't even allow me to lay a finger on her so easily. So we went out to the party again, now she was feeling better I knew she would stand nearly anything else coming.

Yes, I was sure when I saw her still and hard look at her eyes. As if she was now back up ready for more fighting.

And for sure it was to come, but not today. We never knew the place could be easily taken a good photo from a bedroom that would have a not lowered blind.

And this time, Isa would be the one taking care of it, but it would not be matter of this chapter.

When we went back to the party we were soon separated again. I was kidnapped by Takumi and she was by the mass of people wanting to talk to her.

"What has gone on?" Takumi asked me. "What is going on between her and you?"

"Nothing, she just cut her hand and I went to help her healing it." I answered him.

"Don't treat me as a fool!!" He shouted hitting the wall behind my head "You realise that if this goes out into light it could be bad for both bands, don't you?" He asked me. "You just got divorced and you are dating their new singer. It could be a super hit for press. And I could not offer them anything interesting for saving your butt again."

"Takumi, we don't care." I said standing still. "So nor do you. You are already married and your wife is not satisfied. If she found out about your numerous lovers she would certainly drop you."

He then hit the wall again and this time I could hear a crunch coming from his knuckles.

"Don't open your big mouth." He threatened me before leaving. "And do not do anything that could hurt us, your band mates and friends."

When he left I looked at the wall where he had hit it. There was a bunch of tears with a spot together… and some blood stains at it.

"He must have broken his knuckles." I muttered before going back to the party.

(Shin's voice)

After Isa went back to the party, I went to met her. Reira didn't felt right so she left for the doctor; and so, I was bored also because Nobu had gone with Yuri and Yasu was speaking to record producers.

"Don't worry." She told me when I told her where was Reira. "I bet it's just she drank something with alcohol that is reacting with her pills. And don't try telling me she doesn't take pills because I know she is stressed lately."

"I would never try lying you; you are too clever for it." I told her smiling. "But at least she doesn't take drugs."

"Shin, pills and medicines are also drugs…" She whispered me smiling. "But they are legal ones that help people instead of hurting them." She added back on a normal voice volume.

I then began laughing a bit as I saw she was not as affected as before by Nobu's presence. Anyway, I decided to tempt her bit.

"I bet Nobu didn't mean you to hear like that." I told her.

"I'm just angry cause I know that girl and I know the kind of girl she is. She will hurt him and I'll feel bad. Ah, and I don't care if he is dating a girl or a hundred as long as he is happy."

That made me smile; I knew she was not feeling that completely true. Anyway, she saying so yet she still kept a bit of anger against Nobu for what he made her, she could still feel good things towards him.

"I'm happy you can say such things as if they were true." I said.

"No, no." She said surprised. "It's true. I just want him to be happy. Really. I now don't… well, care much if it's me who makes him happy or not but… well, I don't want to see him broken heart by such a girl as Yuri."

"But…" I began saying.

"Oh!" She said interrupting me to change the topic. "I have never seen so much famous and important people together out of high spheres of tycoons and all that."

"You are changing topic." I told her.

"Why I was told it was familiar party when it's important music and art people?" She kept on.

"We were just invited too." I said seeing it would be impossible to bring Nobu's topic back on. "I don't like it too much either. Just ladies call for attention here."

Then we saw a mass of people beginning to form at a side of the room while some music was being played by the hi-fi.

"Shall we dance?" I asked her.

"Though you would never ask me." She said smiling as she offered me her hand on a delicate way.

"Ah, I still think I can remember how to dance this." I said smiling.

"I bet." She answered smiling. "A prince will keep his prince manners even if he becomes a tramp."

That made me smile once again. Even when I was littler than her she kept on treating me as a delicate guy of her age. As if she was my elder sister. That was why I couldn't forgive Nobu so easily for having dropped her and going out so soon with Yuri.

(Isa's voice)

I was dancing around at Shin's arms and ignoring the mass of people concentrated on an end of the room while all that happened.

We were just minding our own business and we were to frightened on being seen so close cause we were cousins and everyone there knew. So press members would never lose their time on taking such a photo of us. Furthermore, there were no cameras there due to specific forbidding at the same hall.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Shin then asked me.

"Of course, until I come across that… girl." I said noticing Yuri was trying over Naoki. "I just can't understand the girls that are dating with a formal guy as Nobu and keep on flirting with other men."

"Well, you can't say so when you yourself have done…" He said.

"I've never done that." I told him a bit angrily. "I mean…" I added trying to sound easier. "I have never done it if I was dating a guy like Nobu, formal I mean. I have kissed some lips I now feel a bit ashamed of having kissing but…"

"I know, I know." He said softly. "In Europe ex that ended up as friends use to kiss on their lips. And of how much guys we are speaking you have seriously gone out with?"

"Four formally." I said remembering them.

"Non officially?" He asked me smiling.

"Uff… tons!" I said joking.

Of course it was not so much men but… I had gone out and kissed lot of guys, perhaps even more than twenty.

Then someone covered my eyes while I was risen by holding me up.

"Guess who?!" A voice said cheerfully.

"Don't know?" I said laughing. "But I'd rather you put me down, who ever is holding me up. My dress will wrinkle."

"Hey, put her down." A dry voice said so I was put down.

"I think she needs a remembering." Another voice said.

Then I was kissed on my lips and when it ended I smiled.

"May I ask who allowed such boisterous guys in?" I said. "The snowflakes."

Then I was held up by my wrist and made spin at the air as I laughed and I noticed lots of looks staring at us.

"Ok, ok. Put me down, please." I said still laughing. "People are staring at us and your wife will go jealous if she finds out."

"As if you cared about it." A blue haired guy said when the smart white haired put me down.

Then he kissed me and after him came the middle length white haired guy with part of his fringe covering his right eye; close followed by the blue haired one haired.

"Nice to see you all. Marco, Velkham, Boris… and Vladimir. " I added noticing the emo white haired one.

"Nice to see you, princess." Vladimir said kissing me too.

"I see you have forgot of me." the long black haired guy with some blue strikes said smiling as he breaked through the barrier the rest of the guys were performing with the four women.

"Of course not, Derrick." I said wrapping his shoulders with my arms as I tiptoed to reach them; then I kissed him. "You were always my favourite one."

"Hey, hey." The black haired girl said joking. "Well, enough, right? I still can't get used to your welcomings."

"Nice to see my favourite raven is also here." I said separating from the black haired guy. "Moira."

"You always see them first and then the rest of us." She said.

"I can understand it." The witish blond woman said. "They are more appealing for her than any of us yet we are prettier."

"Nice to see you are as always, Anya." I said. "Oh, Valeska; sorry about…"

"You know I don't mind it. It's always him who begins it." The ganguro girl said smiling as I also kissed her cheeks.

"Oh, hi Val." I told to the last woman: Valeria. "I like your shirt."

"Well, this is warmer than home." She said. "I'm so sorry for them causing you so much trouble…"

"Yeah, Derrick's story." I said. "Lucky they didn't look deeper to see the rest of the story."

"Oh!" Yuri said coming fast. "Oh, you are Marco, Derrick and Valeska!! I'm a great admirer of you!!!"

"Gang, this is Yuri, porn star and also the new girlfriend of my ex-boyfriend." I said trying to make it softer.

"I was so depressed when you two left the work…" Yuri kept on.

"I… got married, so even when Marco didn't mind it I wanted to drop it." Valeska said going a bit doubtful on Yuri.

"Hey, Yuri." Moira said smiling. "Why don't you show me this around? This is pretty big. Where is the garden?"

"Moira." I called her while the two of them were to leave. "No colour changing or nudity around here, right?"

"Oh… such a pity…" She said. "Anyway, never mind. I'm professional now."

"And who are them?" Velkham asked me as he looked at Shin, Ren, Nobu and Yasu that had just managed to break their way till me.

"Gang, allow me to introduce my band mates and friends. Yasu, who is lawyer and plays drums at Blast; Shin, you know, my cousin, he is the bass; Nobu, my ex who plays guitar… and Ren, he is friend and plays bass for Trapnest."

Then I introduced them to my friends one by one as I smiled.

"And they are all special friends that seem to have come all the way from Norway till here." I added smiling.

I could see them too surprised for saying anything, but I had to try and make them react.

"You… were kissing them." Yasu said.

"That's a too long story to tell." I agreed embarrassed. "In short, that's a way of greeting in some parts of Europe."

"I must say she is right." Shin said. "Believe me, I've seen that on the time I was in Europe."

"The truth is… we are her boyfriends." Boris said smiling.

"They are all brothers and sisters but for Valeska that is Marco's sister." I said slowly. "I met first Marco, who was recording on a spot near London so he and the staff spent some time on our hotel, and then the rest of them." I said.

"So you began dating one after another." Yasu said frowning.

"No." Derrick said. "All on the same time."

"We share nearly everything." Velkham added.

"Till I got tired." I said. "And I can swear we didn't did anything else than kisses."

"Even when I tried hard to practice some scenes with her." Derrick said as always.

(Yasu's voice)

I couldn't believe I was hearing the truth. It was something nearly unbelievable for all of us that were listening to that.

In the past weeks our singer was said to be a kind of famous bitch that had a boyfriend in each country but none of us believed it till the photos got published.

Now we had the evidence in front of our eyes.

"So, you were dating the five of them at the same time." I asked her.

"Kind off." She said clearly embarrassed. "But… it's not what it seems. I mean…"

"She didn't cheat any of us cause we had… how is it said here?"

"Open relationship." Isa said. "That means you are dating a boy but both sides are allowed to date more people."

"Isa! You are my idol!!" Shin said jumping to hug her.

"It was like a harem then." I said.

"No!" The four men said at once.

"Marco was the first one giving up cause he fell for Valeska." Isa told us. "So that was the prove that he didn't really loved me."

"Of course he did!!" Boris said. "All of us do!!"

"But for him." Velkham said pointing Derrick. "He is the cold one."

"Brothers." Isa said. "Never expect them to stop saying such things one of the other but never insult one or you will have to face all."

"So, what was it?" I asked. "Because it was not harem and not boyfriend-girlfriend relationship…"

"It was boyfriends-girlfriend relationship." Vladimir said. "We don't hope people to understand it so that's why we didn't said a word about it."

"It was like a… craze!" Boris said. "Really funny because we all had her so… we met on a disco, or a hotel."

"The cinema." Velkham added.

"Oh, don't forget art expositions and premiers." Vladimir said.

"And also parks and fun fairs." Derrick added.

"We loved to get there all together." Isa said smiling. "Really, they just made me happy."

"I think I still don't understand it." Ren then said. "What did you said was between all of you?"

"Love." The four guys said.

(Marco is with the girls at the living-room and Nobu and Yuri are there too. The rest are in a "reservoir")

"It was certainly something stronger than friendship but a bit weaker than love." Isa said. "It would be… just as it's now with you. But without the kisses we shared." She added smiling wide.

"So you say I could manage to get same kisses from the other girls?" Ren asked.

"Hey!" Derrick and Velkham said standing up.

"Sit down please." Isa said. "Ren, they are their sisters. Don't speak so low about them, please. We have said the GUYS shared nearly everything, not the girls."

"But you never did one of them up." Shin asked her. "Did you?"

"No." They said.

"Of course not!!" She said as offended. "I was… what? 16 then?"

"I think so." Vladimir said. "Velkham and I were 18 and Derrick was already 21…"

"20." He said. "I had still not reached my birthday."

"And I was 17 too while Marco was 16." Boris said.

"You know that's a crime?" I asked to the elder one. "Over aged and taking advantage of a kid. You three are criminals."

"We just shared kisses." Velkham said.

"Because she didn't allowed us to anything else." Derrick said. "But yes, I'm a bit ashamed now I think about it. Yet I don't regret anything from then."

"None of us regret anything from then." Velkham said.

"I regret something." Vladimir said making all of us look at him. "I regret having allowed her to ran away from my life. Her actual boyfriend must be really glad of her."

"He is." Ren said.

For the end of the night, they had made her cry again and Ren took her to her bedroom; when I went to visit her an hour later, I saw her big bed was full with the four men, two blond sisters and black haired sister of them, Ren and Shin.

Shin was sleeping next to her at the bed while the rest surrounded her. Then I noticed she was pink on her cheeks.

"You should all go to sleep." I told them. "I think she is about having temperature due to the heat you are giving her."

"Ok, just tell her we will be here till the party time." Valeria said.

"We have been invited too. So we will meet at the airport." Derrick said.

"And keep an eye on her wounds." The other blond girl said. "She is… special for the family."

"She is also special for us." I said. "Even if she is not… a girl with the typical past."

They just smiled at me and the girls patted on my chest softly as bye.

As soon as they left I saw Ren was holding her by the back while Shin held her by the other waist. She was sleeping up so she didn't seem to look any of them.

Then someone knock on the door softly as if he or she knew inside there was somebody awaken and someone sleeping and didn't wanted to wake up the sleeping one.

I went to open the door.

"Mind if I get in and stay for a while?" The elder of the brothers said getting in before I could even answer. "I'll not speak to high so as not to wake her up."

"Sure." I said sitting down at the chair next to the bed. "So, how is you are not recording your porn?"

"I dropped it." He said. "When I was 21 and my contract ended."

That statement made me stare at him. He was clearly calmed as he took out a chewing gum and offered me another I turned down.

"But… you said you were going out with her when you were…"

"Yes, I decided to quit doing porn thanks for her and thanks to her." He said. "Even what you can think of our way of love, I really loved her. All of us did. And I didn't want her to be stained with that part of my past."

"She told you to quit…" I muttered.

"No, she never said anything about my work." He said. "She never told me to quit or that it could hurt her. I quit it on my own wishes when I ended my contract, two months after I began kissing her. I met her four months before quitting and I tried not to get too close to her on public places before the first moment I kiss her cause she was crying and I couldn't stand the temptation… And she was the one supporting me during all the time even when she didn't knew. It was all… 'Isa, I've ended working as actor.' She was happy for me, of course. And she was the one suggesting me working as something else. She knew of my ability for singing to her and playing guitar for her, songs I made up for her and just for her. And when I was given the chance of being model of her favourite men trade brand I took it. Since then… well, things went better and better."

Then I smiled as I noticed how much he loved her. He was even able to quit his beloved work for her, for not staining her name.

"I would not have done such a thing for her." I said smiling. "I really like her, but she is not that important for me."

"You are just a singer." He told me. "You would not stain her if you touched her. If my past would have got too near her it would have certainly have stained her."


	29. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER 29****: LOVE CAUSES SICKNESS.**

(Isa's voice)

I woke up with a big stomach ache, I knew I didn't drink too much last night, but still… my stomach seemed as if it had parallel life. And then I saw Nobu being so hot towards that girl wanting to look as a real lady with just faked robes and cheap make up. It made my stomach curl and I had to run out of the bed to be sick at the toilet in the same bedroom.

I then breathed deep trying to calm up and I stood up to feel someone hugging me by my back.

"Isa…" shin said sad allowing me to turn and bury my face at his chest. "Shhhh… everything is ok, I'm here with you…" He added looking to the ceiling as I buried my face at his shirt hiding my face with it.

(Ren's voice)

I was half woken up when Isa ran from the bed towards the toilet and then I realised Shin was also half awaked by it. What ended waking us up was the noises of her being sick. Both of us open our eyes wide and ran out of the bed to check her.

As always he was the first one arriving and he allowed her to cry at his chest. I think she didn't even notice me at the door.

And I knew why she was feeling like that. I just went out of the bedroom and nearly hit Yasu when I turned a corner to try finding Nobu's room.

"Where are you going?" He asked holding my arm.

"Let me go!" I told him angry. "I'm not able to stand Nobu acting so carelessly and heartlessly!!"

"Stop" Yasu ordered me grabbing my arm again. "Go back bed, this is not the best moment to deal with it."

"I want to hit him so hard that he will learn not to hurt women like that!!" I said.

"Shhhh!" Yasu told me off. "Stop barking, idiot. Do you think that will solve anything? Furthermore, you are not the best one to speak. Shall I remember you what happened with Nana? Why doesn't she want to see you any longer??"

That made me frozen. If he was looking for me to go frozen he had certainly managed it.

"Now, tell me." He said. "What has happened? Is Isa ok?"

"She was sick a second ago." I said looking angry from the ground to him. "Shin was trying to comfort her a bit."

That seemed to make him react. He just threw his cig to the bin and nearly ran to reach her room.

"It's ok." He said when he reached it. "Isa, we are here. Breath deep, please."

I couldn't do anything. She was curled up at the bed against Shin's chest. I laid against a wall and try to control myself.

"I'll call Nobu." Shin said.

"No." She said holding him. "Don't tell him… Please…"

She was certainly a bit as Nana. She had her pride too.

"Isa." Shin said. "He will not be any happier if you hide it too!"

"I don't want him to know." She said.

Then I caught it. She didn't want him to know cause that would made him unhappy and she knew him knowing what was going on would not help or make happy anyone.

I could understand it but I couldn't understand she felt like that then.

(Yasu's voice)

When our manager saw her he went too nervous. He wasn't able to do anything else than complaining. Anyway, Isa got wear again and acted more or less as if it was as always. She even smiled as Ren asked her if she was feeling better then.

Anyway, I knew it was more difficult for her to keep on with that when Yuri got with Nobu on the van.

"I think Yuki will be able to carry you." Gimpei said then.

"It's no need of bothering him for such a little thing." I added putting my legs crossed and laying my head backwards with my eyes closed. "You do what you should. I don't mind when we arrive back home but I'd like to arrive."

"Oh, I'm also going there." Shin said. "I had no work for today so I could get spend the whole day with you."

"Thank you, Shin." I said smiling mildly.

"Don't you want to first got see…" Gimpei said.

"No." I just said interrupting him. "There's no need of it."

"But…" Gimpei said.

"Don't worry." Yasu said. "If it keeps on we will make her go."

"Where?" Nobu said. "What's happened?"

"I'm pregnant." I said joking but with serious face. "A month and a half."

That made him go white as that time I was still with him.

"Don't say such things!!" Gimpei and Yasu told me off.

"Ouch!" I said as Gimpei hit my head softly. "I was just joking! There was no need of you hit me!!"

"You really frightened me!" Nobu said appearing angry. "I don't know if I'd be ready to become father…" He added as sighing.

"Don't worry." I said then a bit bothered as Yuri didn't took her hands off him and he didn't complained. "I'm not ready either. And in case you wanted to know it, that thing I used to take at breakfast was nothing for hangover."

My words made the entire car go red, and now I think about it, perhaps it was right that sometimes I was lack of female touch.

Anyway, when we arrived Tokyo, first stop was at Nobu's where Yuri and he went out of the car.

"I just can't stand that girl." I said. "Have you seen her? She kept her hands all the time at him!"

"I agree that's something not pleasant to see." Shin said. "He should at least behave a bit while he is near you."

"You should begin forgetting about him." Yasu said lighting a cig. "If you don't you will keep on suffering."

"I have forgot about him as man." I said. "But I keep on being his friend and I care about him."

"Then stop taking so much care about him." He said.

"Yasu!" Shin told him but shut up when he looked serious at him.

"Sometimes we, friends have to allow them to hit against a wall for them to learn to jump over it." He told me. "And if you keep on wanting to protect him then you will have to change. Do you want it?"

"No…" I muttered sad.

"I thought so." He said. "You are a bit free and independent. I doubt you would be able to stand folding your wings, tying yourself with a chain and sit to wait for him to take care of you."

I was now looking down to the ground of the car. He was right. Nobu would need a weak girl he could protect, not one that could protect and take care of herself pretty well.

And when I think about it, it hurts me to realised Yasu was right. Perhaps we were not made for being together like that.

That afternoon I was taken to the doctor, not by Shin, who had left at meal time for Gaia to be taken to a male magazine shoot, or by Yasu who was there too; but by Ren, who seemed to have got Yasu's call asking him to make them that favour.

And I wonder… if one day I will manage to get what I want. Cause since I was born I have looked for it but I have never managed to reach it…


	30. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER 30****: BAD NEWS.**

(Ren's voice)

"So… is it severe?" Isa asked the doctor.

I could not believe she was acting so bravely. We both saw the doctor's face when she saw the results of the tests.

"Are any other friends waiting out?" She said.

"No, just us." Isa answered. "So, is it severe?"

"I'd not like to venture so early but…" the doctor said serious. "I'd rather you to had a specialist to have a look." She said looking at a medical contact book. "You live not too far from a good friend of me that could give you a more accurate vision so… I'd rather not to venture anything before he has a look at you."

"Ok." Isa said taking the paper the doctor handed her. "Now I ask for woman's advice. Is it severe? I need to know."

She then looked to me and back her.

"We could be facing gastritis due to something even more severe." The doctor said. "But without the proper tests we can't be sure it's just that or it's something worse."

"Worse?" I asked as Isa looked down sad. "Worse as what?"

"Cancer." Isa said softly. "Peptic ulcers and gastric cancer."

"You seem to know." The doctor said. "In that case you would agree with me that the best is to visit a specialised doctor."

She nodded.

"And about the other visit you made me last week…" She said.

"Ren." Isa asked me. "I think I need a bit of water, could you see if there's a bit on the water machine outside, please?"

The doctor then looked at her and then me. I then nodded.

When I left I realised it could be she wanted me not to hear it, anyway, I didn't took too long to return with a little water bottle.

"Sorry, may I come in again?" I asked putting my head in.

"Yes." The doctor said while Isa was looking down. "I was commenting her something. Perhaps you can help us."

"Oh, I'll do what I can." I said sitting down again and handing Isa the water bottle.

"This can be a bit hard, but… have you noticed if she has had difficulties for breathing?"

"Yes, but she was nervous and crying." I said as she wrote down something.

"Ok… Anxiety?"

"She was nervous cause personal matters." I repeated.

"Well… Has she sweated in excess?" The doctor kept on asking me.

"I don't know." I said. "I'm not living with her."

"Ok… Now… Pale skin?" The doctor said. "I mean… she is a bit pale from last time she came, even paler?"

"Yes, I think she was a bit paler than when we met, why?"

"I see… Oh, that's not the worse. Perhaps it's just she is sunbathing less. Now…Blood coughing?"

"No that I remember." I said going a bit scared. "What's all this about?"

"She could be suffering pulmonary edema." The doctor said. "If pulmonary edema has been developing gradually, symptoms of fluid overload may be elicitedorthopnea, meaning inability to lie down flat due to breathlessness; and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, that means episodes of severe sudden breathlessness at night. So, you said you were not living with her, didn't you? I'd also like to chat with the one living with her then."

"Please, I don't want to fright anyone else." She said. "Can't I just deal with this alone?"

"Despite of your inner strength or your normal one, this could be something serious and you could even die." The doctor said. "And perhaps it's still not too late for taking care of it and healing it fully. Maybe it was just caused by hypertensive crisis as your friends here told me you had been a bit over nervous latelly."

"My boyfriend and I broke up so I had… well, some nerves crisis." She said.

"Ok, now I'm telling you what you have to do." She said. "I'm signing you an order here for you visiting two specialists that will tell you what all those things are." The doctor said writing two medical papers. "I want you to go to both and then they will tell me what you have. Hey, I want you to go, right? I don't care if you have work or not, this could be serious."

"I'll try to do it all." She said.

"I don't want you to try." The doctor said. "I want you to do it. I can call my friend to have a first look at you right now."

"I'll make sure she gets there." I said.

While I drove her to the new doctor's place she was all the way silent. As soon as she was taken in a little room to do some tests I took my mobile out and phoned Yasu.

He didn't picked up immediately so I phoned the rest. None of them picked it up, I tried once and again till finally Yasu picked it up.

"What do you want now?" He asked me. "We were on the middle of an interview."

"Doctor said she thinks Isa is seriously ill." I said trying to summarise it.

"What?" He asked.

"Yes, we are at an specialist now." I kept on. "The doctor said…"

Then I was stolen the phone and I saw an angry Isa.

"I'm ok." Isa said. "Ren was just making it all look extreme… No, they have not told me much… I have just came here to show everyone it was not so serious… Ok, I pass him."

She then looked at me as she held my mobile back at me covering the speaking part.

"Don't make them scared before we have a solid prove." She told me. "It'll be no use if they are frightened and then it's nothing else than weak faringitis."

Then she was called again by the nurse and guided back in the room after taking a card from her bag.

"Ren!" Yasu shouted on the other end of the phone to call my attention.

"Sorry, I was looking her being called in the test's room again." I said. "I'm sorry."

"Where are you?" He asked me. "What doctor?"

"Mr. Kokawa at…" I said telling him the address we were given on the other doctor's consultory. "I don't know she will go happy to see you all here."

"We don't care." Shin said from Yasu's phone. "Tell her I want to be with her whatever she has!"

"Sorry Ren." Yasu said. "Shin stole my phone. What did they said she had? She said it was nothing."

"I don't know, but… sounds bad." I said. "The doctor said something like… lungs… pulmony… Edema…"

"Pulmonary Edema?!" He asked.

"Yes!" I said. "Pulmonary edema! Is it bad?"

"Wait there, we will get there now." He said before hanging down.

"O… Ok." I said being hung down. "I think they will take a bit long with her…"

(Yasu's voice)

"We are really sorry to have to leave." I told the journalist. "We have personal matters we can't postpone so… We beg you put the meeting for another day, please."

"But you have a tight schedule!" Mr. Gimpei said. "You can't postpon this any longer!"

"Gimpei, it's 'flame'. She was at the doctor today." I told him.

He then seemed to understand and didn't said anything else against postponing the interview.

"What's going on?" Nobu asked worried. "Why did you put Isa in this?"

"Shut up!" I told him being a bit too hard due to worryness for her. "It's not a lie!"

"Yasu, she is not too ill, is she?" Shin asked me really worried.

"Shin, I'd rather you went home and got it ready for dinner." I told him trying to avoid his question.

"I want to be with her!" He then shouted.

"Be quiet, please." I told him. "We don't want they to know about this now."

"Ok you can leave now." Mr. Gimpei said. "They will send us the rest of the interview and you will have to aswer it. Now… quick, to the van and let's go where she is."

(Shin's voice)

It took us a bit long to reach the adress Ren seemed to have handed Yasu. Nobu was also coming and he was really worried about Isa. I was about crying when I saw Yasu so worried when he said the illness she seemed to have been predicted.

When we reached there, it was not any better either. We were recognised by the rest of patients there as I supose they had done with Ren and Isa, and nobody wanted to tell me about what was going on.

"They are doing some test to her." Ren told us. "As this is like a hospital they have moved her from here to there all the time."

"Have they gave any resoults?" Yasu asked.

"Still nothing." Ren said. "I don't know what to think or do."

Then Isa came back and I jump to her neck to hug her.

"Hey!" She said. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to be on a interview."

"We have already ended it." Yasu told her. "How are you feeling?"

"Perfect." She said smiling. "I'm not going to stop working for such a silly thing such as being sick twice."

I couldn't stop hugging her and I noticed she was a bit tense and sweating a bit.

"Miss Okanzaki, please?" A nurse said.

"Me." She said raising a hand.

"We are with her." Mr. Gimpei said getting her side.

In a second it was her surronded by five men and the nurse got a bit nervous.

"Miss Okanzaki, please?" The doctor said puttig his head off the door.

"Sir, all the guys want to get in with her." The nurse said nervous.

"I'm the one in charge of her." Mr. Gimpei.

"And we are the only family she has." I said.

"I'm the one in charge of her." Yasu said.

"It's ok." The doctor said. "I also prefer all her close people hearing it. Come in, please."

So all of us got in the room and the nurse took a pair of extra-chairs in while I standed at her back surronding her with my arms.

"We have done several test on her." The doctor said going serious. "From blood analising to heart and lungs ausculting."

"So… it's severe." I said a bit frightened hugging her as if she could disappear from a second to another.

"We have just got some resoults." The docotors said.

Isa then went even tenser and she began sweating more.

So afterall she could also be frightened; or perhaps it was I was passing her too much heat too.

"And what is it, sir?" She asked.

"Let him explain." Yasu said.

"I have noticed a bit low oxigen concentration at her blood on blood analyses; her heart beats were a bit fast, and same goes for her breathing rate." The doctor said. "But I couldn't listen to any anormal sound on either of them and her skin looks healthy. No blueish or too pale, I mean." He asked looking at me.

"So… that's severe?" Ren asked.

"I can't tell much more without a x-ray picture of the torax to check the heart and the lungs and an ecocardiograme, at least."

"And what are you waiting to do it?" Mr. Gimpei asked. "It could be lethal!"

"Gimpei, I think you are exagerating it." Isa said as I went now pale to imagine what could happened. "See? You are frightening everyone."

"Of course, it could be nothing else than a coicidence." The doctor said smiling. "I have… yes, I have a report here explaining some… personal matters about the patient that could have made her go like that, so… till I don't get the resoults of the tests I am now appointing… I'm afraid I can't venture to give a proper diagnosis."

"But right now what's what you can say?" Yasu asked.

"I can't say much. It could be beginning of pulmonary edema or it could just be stress and tension. In any case… it would be preferable she didn't forced her lungs too much."

"In case you didn't noticed it, I work with my voice." Isa said then. "And if it's just stress I would not mind kept on working."

"It could be dangerous." The doctor said.


	31. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER 31: NEW COUPLE. MORE PROBLEMS.**

(Isa's voice)

"Hey, how are you feeling today?" Shin asked me. "You look a bit better today, nice skin colour."

"Thanks." I said smiling as my kids came to say hello. "I'm feeling tons better today."

Then my phone rang and I look at the number calling me. Unknown.

"Obviously it could always go worse." I told him as I showed him the phone call and picked it up on free-hands. "Miss Okazaki on the phone."

"Miss Okazaki?" A male voice said on the other end of the phone. "This is Kûdo, in charge of the entertainment section at 'weekly search'. We would like to have a chat with you."

"Kûdo from 'weekly search'?" I asked. "I suppose you already knew you should first appoint that with our manager at Gaia records."

"Yes, but this would be private." The man said. "Cause we know we can deal with this without managers."

"We don't want to deal anything with you." Shin said.

"I think this time you would." The man said. "If you could just have a look at your e-mail… now I'm sending you some contains of our next news I'm sure you would find rather interesting."

I then took my laptop and turned it on to check it. I got in my e-mail address and saw some mails.

"Have you find it?" Kûdo asked. "The one with the topic called 'The search last research', that one."

"I got it." I said opening it.

As Shin's phone was ringing, he caught it.

Then I had a look at the mail tags and I frowned before closing the screen.

"How many people have seen it?" I then asked angry.

"Just the photographer, you and me." The man said. "Ah, I also sent a copy to your agency."

"Isa, Mr. Nishimoto on the phone." Shin said worried. "He wants to speak with you."

"Ok, Shin, please take care of my call." I asked him as I held the phone of our boss.

(Shin's voice)

I can't understand all that happened in less than a minute. In five minutes time, Isa was over-nervous; she buttoned her jeans as she spoke with Ren by the phone. All I managed to know about it all was I would be taken by our caretaker to Gaia's office where I would met Nobu and the rest. Yasu would not be there. Isa would be taken by Mr. Nishimoto on his car to take her and Yasu somewhere.

(Isa's voice)

When I saw the photos of Shin and one of the elder women he used to do before becoming famous and then Nobu and his porn star girlfriend, both taken last day; I was about crying on nerves. Anyway, now I was told to get there and try helping to hide those photos I had to raise my hand and try to stand still. I had feel as if I was on a huge and thin ice plank over a frozen lake and it was beginning to tear when I became famous with Blast. Now I felt that even if I tried to ran from the tears at the ice I couldn't.

I saw how we were trapped and all I could do was stand still and try not go nervous. However when I arrived the place with our boss, Yasu was already there.

"She should not be here." He said.

"Excuse me but 'She' as you have called me, is here because the ones affecting by the photos are still my dearest cousin and my friend." I said serious. "I know how to deal with this, I can deal with this."

"Go home." A cold voice said at my back. "This is a shark pond and such a little gold fish can't survive here."

"What are you doing here Takumi?" Yasu asked him. "WE were also sent the photos. Those morons thought the woman with Shin was Reira or a twin sister."

"But it's not her!" I said.

"We know, but they could publish that lie and that would affect us too." Narita said. "And what are you doing here?"

"Those photos showed two of our band members." Yasu said. "We are here to try and avoid those photos being published."

"So they called you too." Narita nodded.

Takumi still looked at me silent as we got in the room.

"Leave this at once." He told me. "You know nothing about dealing with this people."

"I know." I said. "But I'm not going to leave. I have dealt with this before. I can give a hand if you can't manage to get it on a legal way."

That seemed to make all go a bit confused.

"Isa, no beats ups here, please." Yasu told me.

"I'm civilised lady." I said. "I'll not use violence against them. I don't want to give them that kind of first page news. Any way… I know I can help."

Then two men came in.

"We are happy to see you have finally came." Kûdo said. "Ah, I see the lady came too. I'm Kûdo, I think we have chatted some minutes ago."

"Nice to met you, Mr. Kûdo." I said answering with the correct greeting. "I'm Miss Isabel L. Okazaki."

"Let's begin by the main point." Nishimoto said. "How much and the photos are not published?"

"We don't want any money in exchange of them." The other man said. "I supposed Mr. Narita and Mr. Ichinoise would already knew and had told you."

"Last time they just agreed to remove the photos in exchange of a scoop of Takumi's wife." Narita said.

"But… we can't deal with that this time." Takumi said to then bow as asking for forgiveness. "Couldn't you just let it go this time too?!"

"This time it's not going to mistake us." Mr. Kûdo said smiling as he lighted up his cig.

"This is not their business." Yasu said. "And if it'd be a lie of yours we could suit you for defamation."

"You know it's true." Kûdo said. "Otherwise you would not have come here so fast."

Dammit, they were too clever. It would be hard to reach an agreement.

Anyway, I was a bit hard and I wanted to fix it all the sooner the best so as to allow myself going down on such hard moments. I had already gone through this and I knew how to deal with it. But… this time I had nothing as strong and juicy to give them in exchange of all. And lucky for me, these men still had not heard about me by other press members from my country.

(Takumi's voice)

After having finally convinced them the girl at Shin's photos was not our Reira, both Narita and I were more relaxed about it all. Now we could leave, but I had a funny feeling towards that mysterious woman Nana liked much and Ren was beginning to like more than too much.

I wondered what she could do for preventing the photos going into that week's number.

Narita just had eyes and ears for the topic but I kept my attention mostly on her. She was sitting there, silent and not loosing a single word about the whole conversation.

Then we thought all was lost and then was when she surprised me, well me and everyone else on our end of the table.

"I have managed to save some money." She said appearing to be a real and untrained business woman. "It's not too much but it's certainly more than what you would earn from selling that rubbish that would not make anyone happy…"

"I think you have not listened to us." The boss of the paper said. "We don't want money. We just want to show the readers the truth."

"But there must be something we can offer you in exchange of the photos!" She said nervous.

"Isa, please." Yasu said holding her shoulder. "Calm up, please."

"You should be ashamed on what you are doing." Mr. Nishimoto told them angrily. "Don't you see you are hurting third persons?! What kind of press do you write?!"

"The reportage will be published never mind what you can offer." The man said. "Unless you can offer us something else, something juicier than that. For example…"

"A nude photo of you." Mr. Kûdo said.

That made us all look at him and then I saw Isa was beginning to have tears getting to her eyes. Then she began crying.

"How can you even suggest that?!" She cried as she began crying. "I can't give you such improper kind of things!! Don't you even have heart?!"

"It was just a suggestion." Mr. Kûdo said. "I was just joking."

She was managing to get them in. I must agree that a girl's tears were more credible and moving than a man's worriness.

"We have just gave an example." The boss said a bit worried. "Perhaps we could reach an agreement if any of the blast could give us a first hand scoop then we could forget about this all and… well, change the topic."

"A scoop?" Yasu said. "We have no scoops. All about us we want to be know has already been published. Even that dung about her you published. You like to believe gods making us famous act as you think will sell!" He told them angry as Isa kept on crying at his chest. Isa, please, calm up." He whispered at her ear.

They took a bit to make her stop crying and stand still again. But when they did she seemed to consider it was the perfect time to throw the trap and see if they bitted it.

"Tell us what kind of scoops you could consider for forgetting about it all." She asked.

"Don't know, something juicy." The boss said. "Nudity, drugs, alcohol, crimes… that kind of things."

"For example, do any of you have a secret child?" Mr. Kûdo asked. "Have you been married anytime?"

"No!" She said as shocked. "Of course not! My family has always kept an eye on me!"

"Then there's nothing you can offer us…" They said.

"You can't be serious!!" Narita said angry. "Don't you realise that will hurt many people, even third persons!! Even if you publish those photos of the girl resembling Reira she would suffer somehow!!"

"When you talk about scoop you speak about abortion?" Isa then asked on a soft way making us all fall silent.

"Yes!" Kûdo said happy. "That would be worth of anything you asked for!!"

"Sorry, I have never abort." She said smiling mildly. "I'm pure as an angel."

Liar. It was more than clear that it was a big lie and of course, nobody believed her.

"What I could offer could be… nah, you would not be interested." She said.

"What?" The boss said.

"Be careful Isa." Her guys said.

"I was wondering… maybe I could manage to appoint an interview with a friend of me as he doesn't speak for oriental magazines." She said thinking. "My friend Vladimir and his brothers never wanted to speak to any oriental magazine."

"We don't want any chat with a famous we could get information for a full number without your help." Kûdo said. "I'm tired. The meeting is over."

"Ok." Isa said crossing her arms at her chest. "I'll make my last offer. And I'll make it just once. I'll give you a complete interview about my last boyfriend but one; photos, video tapes, interview him… but in exchange I want all the tricky photos you have of my mates and me. And I will include a premiere about my first day on holidays this summer if you sign me a paper swearing you will no publish anything hurting our surnames ever again."

"We can sign such thing." The boss said. "Then just Okazaki surname. And I can promise you the photos about my usual holydays are really juicy."

That made us really shocked, so shocked on the unexpected that our jaws were about falling and my cig burned a hole in the carpet before I realised on it and picked it up again.

"How juicy?" Kûdo asked.

"I'm not speaking till I get all I asked for." She said.

(Yasu's voice)

"Well done." Mr. Nishimoto told Isa patting her back while we walked out of the building. "Such a perfect performance of a weak girl when you were keeping your mind cold and balancing all the chances we got!"

"I just couldn't allow those photos being shown." She said. "Yasu, can you type the contract to make them sign it?"

"It's so incredible….! You have managed to avoid them publishing that rubbish and also covered your back for future tales!" Mr. Narita told her as white as a sheet.

"You are a scary woman." Takumi said also surprised. "I never thought you could turn out to be such a merciless shark…"

"I'm not such!!" She said as offended. "But I told you I could deal with them. I have studied economy at Oxford and Cambridge universities. I know how to treat with this kind of stuff."

"You will have those contracts tomorrow first hour in the morning." I told her.

I still couldn't believe how she had managed to get all we wanted and even more. But even if the rest thought she had faked the tears and all… I knew she was dangerously about being ill again for seconds. And I was worried.

Mr. Nishimoto was the one in charge of phoning the rest of the staff that were waiting for his call telling them how things were on the end. I knew Nobu, Yuri and Shin were with Misato at the apartments, and so were their caretakers.

Miu was also there with them. She was also worried but not cause of Nobu for who she still felt a mix of Love and Hate for acting so two faced with the girls he really loved, that meant Nana and now Isa.

I then phoned her.

"Everything has been deleted." I told her.

"I know." She said. "I'm happy, but what have you gave them in exchange of it all?"

"Nishimoto or I have gave nothing to them." I told her. "We tried offering them money, but…"

"Then who exchanged himself for the shake of Blast?" She asked.

She was really well concerned how things worked out in this rotten world. I could never lie to her even if I did my best. I then smiled.

"Isa." I said. "But swear you will not say a word. She doesn't want it to be known, please."

"I swear." She said on a relief tone, then I noticed how her voice sounded as if she was furious. "I just can't stand she sacrifices her own happiness and public face for saving also Nobu's. He is just a moron."

"He is just still a little kid on that aspect." I said smiling. "I have to hang you down. Isa is coming back. Tonight I will be too busy because I have to write a pair of contracts we will sign tomorrow and get to the notary tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."

"For your work?" Miu asked me then.

"No, for the treat she has done with the Search." I told her.

(Nobu's voice)

"They reached an agreement!!" Mai-Mishato said (Uff, it's hard for me to call her Mai, so excuse me if I call her Mishato…) about crying of happiness. "The photos will not be published!"

"I'm so relieved…" I said.

"And what did they gave in exchange?" Miu asked then serious. "Money?"

"I don't know." Mishato said embarrassed. "Later when they come back you would be able to ask Yasu."

"I can't believe they could take those photos." Shin said still a bit sad.

"Then you should be more careful from now on." Miu said. "And you two, lovely-doves, should not meet on public."

"Just because you are jealous doesn't mean…" Yuri said.

"Don't you realise on what they'd done?" Miu asked her angry. "I could understand Nobu and Shin didn't knew of it because they are still a bit too as babies on this world, but you have been here enough for knowing how it works."

"I think this is more than enough." I said trying to peace both girls. "The point is all has finally ended ok and we will not be given a bad time this time. When Yasu arrives we will thank him as he deserves."

"That's the more correct thing to do." Miu said before walking out of the room. "I'll be at my room if you want to look for me."

"I can't understand that sick girl!!" Yuri said when Miu left.

"I don't think the magazine wanted for money in exchange of the photos." Mishato said a bit worried. "I mean… they just have two ways of cancelling such a juicy piece of news…"

Then Shin seemed to understand what they meant with all that and went a bit pale.

"No…" He muttered. "I don't want an exchange…"

"Exchange?" I asked. "What exchange?"

"When this happens it's just two reasonably reasons for a juicy news to be cancelled." Yuri told me laying her head at my chest. "One, they offered them a great amount of money for they silent up that rumours. Or two, they agreed to exchange; the newspaper agreed to cancel that reportage and the interested part agreed to give them a better interview for filling the space. Easy and fair."

"But we have no secrets left." I said. "What can Yasu have offered them?"

"Maybe it was not Yasu." Shin said. "Maybe it was Isa."

"It can't be." I said. "She's got a clean past! Gimpei told us!! Yasu told us too!!"

"I know it's nothing related to that!" Shin said. "She would never do anything that could stain our family's name!!"

Then we heard the lift coming and some steps at the corridor.

"So, I think I'll be fine when the doctor sends my results back to my head doctor." Isa was saying. "Anyway, I think that if it's something worse than what I thought it would not change anything."

"You know the doctor told you not to force the throat." Yasu was saying. "Or it could go worse."

"Yep, and I have not been singing lately, have I?" She asked him when they reached the closed door.

Anyway, before they could even reach the knob Shin had opened it and was hanging from Isa's neck hugging her.

"Who has given him alcohol again?" She asked us a bit angry. "I told you not to give him it while there's nothing to party."

"I'm so happy the photos are not going to be published!!" Shin said still hugging her. "What did you gave them?!"

"Nothing." She said. "Yasu and Nishimoto were the ones speaking. They did all the work and in the end we managed to convince them to remove the news from their papers. Furthermore…" She said taking some photographic films from her pocket. "WE were also given this. And I think that for self-safety I'll put them on a safe on my bank vault at the Tokyo Central Bank. So, this will never ever see daylight again. And for you two…" She added looking straight from Shin to me. "I want you two to swear me you will never ever again do this. Understand? Cause next time perhaps neither Yasu nor Gaia can protect you two."

That made me go frozen. For a second I could swear she was furious at both, but then she acted as a second band leader and our mother.

"I think you should marry Yasu." Shin told her. "Because you two are like our father and mother."

Then Yasu was the one hitting him softly as Isa laugh. It was first time in days I saw her laugh and that made my heart relax a bit.


	32. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER 32****: NEW COUPLE II.**

(Isa's voice)

While we were partying at the bedrooms edifice Gaia used for putting up their talents I got a mobile message. Shin and Nobu were really happy everything was finally fixed, the one I could not see was Miu.

"If you don't mind, I have to rest." I said as I felt a bit tired then. "I'll visit Miu on my way home and then I'll try to rest a bit at home. I'm sorry to have to leave so soon."

"DO you want me to go home with you?" Shin asked me.

"Nah, I'm still elder than you." I said pocking his forehead with one finger playfully. "I'll take care of myself." I added smiling. "And you know Nero and Lucius will also be there to guarding me."

"As if anyone could get in your house living on such a luxurious building." Yuri said.

"I bet they would be more than happy to see you." I said. "If you even come to my place."

"Miu said she was going to her bedroom." Mai-Mishato told me.

"Thanks Mai." I said smiling.

Then I left to visit Miu at her room and I knocked on it. She seemed to be listening to classical music. So she liked that kind of music?

She didn't take too long to open the door and when she saw me smiled and stepped away.

"Hi." I told her. "I asked for you and they told me you were already here. May I come in?"

"Yes, take seat, please." She said softly. "I've heard about your… health problems."

"Mostly stress mixed with headaches Nobu and Shin give me." I said smiling. "Yet doctors said it could be something worse. But I don't want to be pessimistic before time."

"What did they said they were thinking you could have?" She asked as she boiled some water for tea.

"Pulmonary Enema." I said. "But I want to be positive. I have to be it if I want to keep on singing and helping those guys. I sometimes think they would not make out their left hand from their right one without me. Not Yasu, of course."

"I know Yasu is wise enough for keeping himself far from troubles." She said. "But I'm afraid you can't keep yourself far from that… You put yourself in them when you help Nobu and Shin going out of them."

"What can I say?" I said. "Since the moment I got mixed with them I was putting myself in risk of this. Anyway, I'm not going through all what I would have to go for them."

"I'm not silly as them" Miu told me as she handed me the tea cup. "I know this doesn't work like that. I have already told Yasu I knew you had reached an agreement due to another hit offering. So, what did you offered them?"

"Nothing important." I said smiling and shaking my head. "I mean, nothing I mind them publishing but something juicy for them."


	33. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER 34****: REN'S NEW COUPLE.**

**Ren's**** Part.**

I was really tired that day. Perhaps even more tired than if I had just recorded with Trapnest. Being free all the day but for the while I spent with Naoki at the new disco he found lately was really uninteresting and when I got the phone call coming from Isa I felt I was saved by the mobile.

"Er… I was wondering if you had something planned for tonight." She said as doubting.

"Well, Naoki and I were at a new disco he has just found out this week." I said. "But I suppose you can offer me a better plan?"

"Ok, let's see… I cook dinner and then we can see the latest film I got from Europe?" She told me on the other end of the phone. "Or maybe if you can suggest anything else…but I must advise you I'm a bit tired and I'd rather a plan at home."

"Film sounds good." I said. "I suppose Shin will like that plan too."

"Shin is not going to spend tonight here." She said a bit softly. "I mean… he said he was sleeping at the agency place because they had to work till late and wake up early in the morning so…"

"Then count on me." I said. "Ah, and do you mind if Naoki also goes?" I added when he asked me high voice who was calling.

"Of course I don't care!!" She said as laughing. "You can tell even Takumi and Reira if you want to, I tried to ask Hachi but she said she was not coming cause of Takumi was home or something like that. So I suppose Takumi will not come either."

"Ok, then I'll see what I can do about Reira." I said. "As we had some days off I think she took the chance for going back her home and visit everyone there."

"Ah, pity." She said. "Well, then tell Naoki too."

"No need of." I said. "When I tell him I'm going your home he will come too, I bet."

"Ok then." She said. "Ah, if you come and I'm not here try looking for me at the park, ok? I'll be walking my two kids."

"How is Sasameyuki?" I asked her. "Fine, you will see her. I got her just today from the vet and she is just as always. What I have done is to lock the cleaning products in a cupboard so as them not eating or drinking them."

"Ok, then see you later." I said.

"Who was it?" Naoki said.

"Takumi, he wants us to get to work at once." I said pulling his leg.

"Noo!!!" He said bothered. "He can't overwork us so much!!! We had just ended working on the last hit and he wants us to keep on right now?!!"

"I was joking." I said. "Anyway, I have to leave. I got an invitation to a private party so…"

"Ok, the go you old man!" He said joking. "I'll get the most women here I can!!"

"Pity, Isa would be happy to see you again." I said appearing to be disappointed. "She will be a bit disappointed you want to stay here…"

"Where is your car?" He asked changing his mood immediately making me astonish.

It took us a bit to reach her house due to traffic jams at the main street and at Sibuya but then we managed to arrive and I parked next to her house's building.

Anyway, when we reached the building, the surveillance guard asked our names and told us the "young mistress on 193" was at the near park giving a walk to her dogs. So there we went.

We took a bit to see her, but when we did Naoki laughed and I did it too as we saw that "giving a walk to her pets" meant just the opposite.

It was the two dogs that were giving her a walk. We recognised her by the two dogs because she was hiding her hair with a puffy cap and wearing as a hip-hoper girl with sun glasses too as she rollerbladed being pulled around by her two dogs.

Then they saw us and they ran to us. Naoki noticed them running towards us and he stepped backwards to shelter behind me.

"Oh, hi." She said when they stop over me. "You took a bit to come."

"Yes, traffic jams on part of the city." I said managing to make the dogs get away from me to allow me standing up. "Can't you teach those killers not to jump over people?"

"Nah, they just do it if they like you." She said smiling as she rubbed their necks. "Or to protect me in which case your neck would not look so nice."

"Can… can we go home?" Naoki said.

"Oh, hi Naoki." She said. "Just give me five more minutes to end with these big dudes, please."

"Sure." We said. "Need any help?"

"Nah, don't think so." She said tying the straps better around her wrists. "Er… I bet you have never seen rollerblading dog pulled races."

"I bet you show us." I said sitting up at the grass.

She then smiled as she did a noise with her mouth and tongue and the dogs began running as she helped them a bit.

It was amazing to see how she raced against nobody being pulled by her dogs.

"Ah, so good to be back home…" She said smiling as she outstretched at the living-room after releasing the dogs at the flat when Naoki closed the door.

"I think I'll have to litter this…" Naoki said as he showed the big holes at his sweater sleeves.

"Take it off." Isa said offering him her hand. "Take it off and I try to do something."

"What do you plan to do?" He asked her.

"I usually 'customize' my old clothes to keep them." She said as she took some scissors, tread, needle and a box with clothe pieces she placed at her lap, between her rounded legs to hold it.

Suddenly, while we were laying the table, she began cutting the sleeves, sewing the jacket, looking at it, cutting again, sewing again… once and again till she seemed enough happy with the work.

"I've got it." She said smiling and placing everything back into the basket. "Try it."

Naoki held it on the air and spread it that was inside out.

"You can have a look at the bathroom mirror." She said coming to the kitchen and stirring the pot I was heating meal at.

It took Naoki just five minutes to come back totally astonished as he wore a cool sleeveless hooded sweater with a pair of drum sticks crossed at his back as if they were a pair of wings.

"Try getting another shirt broken and you will have a cool outfit for our concerts." I told him joking.

"This is just…" Naoki began saying looking at the sweater "Perfect! And on such little time! You could become mode designer!"

"Thanks, but I prefer singing." She said smiling as she served the table.

We kept on joking at dinner and after that she cooked some popcorn while we got the sofa ready for the film. She sat on a sofa seat with her feet the edge nearly sitting on her heels.

It was funny to see a film. I think I have never done this before, just sitting on a sofa with some friends to watch a film. Anyway, when it ended, Naoki was tired and said he was leaving.

"I'll stay a bit longer to help her with this." I said.

"Oh, I see." He said smiling. "I'll take a taxi then."

"I suppose." I said. "Because I'm not leaving you my car."

"Hey, could you sweep around the sofa, please?" Isa said from the kitchen. "Meanwhile I'll wash the dishes and it all."

"Going!" I said as Naoki left. "Naoki left, he was tired so he went home."

While I was sweeping the rest of the living-room she ended doing the washing up and washing also the kitchen ground.

"Hey, Ren." She said. "It's a bit late for driving home. Want to stay here for the night?"

"Oh, sure." I said. "But just if I can sleep on the same room."

"I'm going to have a bath, get the room you prefer." She said smiling.

Then she left. I was still fighting against some rebel popcorn that rolled under a sofa so I was trying to move it.

When I finally ended the room seemed to shine clean at my eyes, so I went to get my pyjamas from the place Shin had showed me he was putting it and I changed into it.

I then went to her bedroom and knocked on the door. Anyway, when I opened the door nobody was in.

Then I went to the bathroom and knocked on the door and when I was about opening, she opened it to get outside wearing her pyjama as she untied the knob on her hair to prevent it getting wet.

"Yes?" She asked me. "Wanted something?"

"I just was knocking before getting in to pee." I said.

I then thought it was a pity she was already done… Anyway, I peed and then I walked to get in bed. As I passed next to her bedroom I knocked and got in.

"Did you already choose the bedroom?" She asked.

"Yes, this one." I said steady as I sit next to her.

She then looked at me and I kissed her. I then raised my sight to look at her, she was surprised but on the same time happy; I could see it on her eyes.

I then lowered my head a bit again but she was faster and gave me back the kiss.

I then lied next to her happy for having being finally allowed to be there, with her, while she was not drunk.

Anyway, when I was to give the next step and had put my hand in her nightgown she stopped.

"I can't do that." She said looking to the ceiling as she shook her head softly. "Please…"

Slowly I removed my hand from where I had laid it as I looked at her. She had enjoyed till then, then why she didn't want to give the next step?

"I thought you also wanted…" I said.

"I d… I'm still not ready for this far again." She said curling up and giving me her back.

Seeing her so weak al for sudden made me step once back and into just kisses and sharing bed, so I lay against her kissing her bare shoulder.

"It's ok for me if we just kiss and sleep together." I said. "I'll wait till you are ready. But in exchange… I want you to allow me to next time tell Nobu I'm your boyfriend."

"As you want." She muttered.

Then I hug her by the back putting my arm under her head as if it was a pillow. Not being able to touch her when I want could be a torture, but a really pleasant torture I didn't mind to take. I knew that on the end the prize would be just better than ever.

**Isabelle B****. Part.**

It was funny. I never thought I would ever repeat the experience of sleeping with Ren. And this time I was not any drunk because I had not drink for a long while due to medicines they were giving me.

When he came to my room and told me he had chosen to sleep there with me he really surprised me, even more when he kissed me.

I could feel as if I was filled with an energy wave running down my spine till he ended the kiss. Then he raised his head and looked straight in my eyes smiling. He was just so cool and lovely treating me with so much care… He was to kiss me again but I did it first.  
As we kissed I felt as if great energy waves ran up and down inside me. I felt alive again and that was really great. Till suddenly I felt how he put a hand in my nightgown and I remembered on Nobu so I separated from him.

"I can't do that." I said looking to the ceiling as shaking my head softly. "Please…"

Slowly he removed his hand from where he had laid it as he looked at me.

"I thought you also wanted…" He said.

"I d… I'm still not ready for this far again." I answered curling up and giving him my back. He then lay against me kissing my now bare shoulder.

"It's ok for me if we just kiss and sleep together." He then said. "I'll wait till you are ready. But in exchange… I want you to allow me to next time tell Nobu I'm your boyfriend."

"As you want." I muttered.

I now didn't felt anything when he told me he would tell Nobu we were dating. I didn't thought it was so till now. Maybe dating him could fix things. Maybe if I was with him I would not remember Nobu and his disgusted face when we split up. In my life I was looked like that three times. That was, by far, the one hurting me the most.

Then he hug me by the back putting his arm under my neck. After a while I turned to face his chest. He seemed half slept but his chest was really warm. He then held my head with just a hand and kissed me once and very softly before making my ear lay at his chest. I listened for his heart beats and they relaxed me, in fact the did it so much that I fell asleep easily.

Next morning I was awakened by coffee smell and when I opened my eyes I saw Ren holding a tray with a dish with scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee.

"Morning, Okazaki-missus." He said with a wild flower at his hair. "A good breakfast full of… well, whatever it has, for you to face a new day."

That made me laugh softly with my hand at my mouth.

"What?" He asked surprised as he put the tray at my legs. "I thought you would like it."

"I like it." I said smiling. "It's just… is funny. Ah, by the way, this is proteins and this is energy." I said poking the eggs with the fork and then pointing to the coffee cup with my finger. "I've got an idea. Let's have breakfast together." I added picking a bit of the scramble eggs with my fork and offering it to him.

Not taking his sight from my eyes, he ate the piece and chewed it as I cut another one and ate it.

Maybe he was not like Nobu at all, but I also liked this kind of guys as long as they don't do other women while they are with me.

Nobu was the good guy, Ren the dangerous living one.


	34. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER 35****: NOBU'S WORRIES.**

**Isa****'s Part.**

Knock, knock.

Somebody was knocking on the door and I was in my little office working at my laptop with my feet over the table as I re-read some accountability papers full of numbers about the economy of the firm; some of the latest works of Gaia's records were sounding at the hi-fi line.

"Come in." I said not taking the sight from the numbers. "The door is open! Come in!"

"Sorry to disturb you." Yasu said getting in. "I was wondering if you could give me a hand with this. Yumei-san said he was underpaid last month but Gimpei said he was paid according to what they agreed to pay."

"Oh, sure." I said sitting back well again to begin looking for some books at the library where I kept over the book selves just on my left hand and furthest end of my right hand. "I think this could be useful for you, Yasu." I said finding one of the books at the selves. "The payments on the last two months, then… economical contracts with every single worker at Gaia… and maybe a photocopied list of his selling with his last work for you to see if it's ok in case the agreement was referring to percentage of his selling?"

"Thanks." He said. "You are really efficient worker."

"I learnt it from the best." I said smiling as I handed him the books and papers he had asked me to hand him. "Ah, you have to have a look at them here. If you want or need any papers you can scan them with the machine over there." I added pointing to a scanner on a corner of the table at the right of my table. "As I needed the lap top I took it from there."

"Ok, I'm not bothering you any longer." He said smiling. "I see you are working hard."

"After so long off this I have several work to be done." I said putting all my attention back on passing some numbers to my lap top. "I have to pass all the info to the data base and then make out some balances to hand them to the boss and…"

"And you should take it easier unless you want to be given another attack." He told me softly as he kept on working. "Did you get the results?"

"Ah, yes." I said. "The stomach thing is not anything severe, just a bacterium. But the lungs thing… they were right." I said typing more numbers on the computer as I felt as my sight was going unfocussed due to water beginning to appear at my eyes. "Maybe I have to quit singing."

(Yasu's voice)

As she spoke I could feel how her voice began to tremble and even while she was trying to appear normal, I could sense she was not feeling normal either. I looked up at her when she said she perhaps may have to quit singing.

Even when she was appearing to be typing on the computer I could see she was not doing it ok. I stood up and went to hug her. She tried to rebel but she couldn't; she just held my arms and cried at my chest as I rubbed her head with one hand.

"Even if you quit singing we will be there for supporting you." I said. "And anyway, you should relax a bit."

I had read about the illness when she was told it could be that and I knew that if it was not too developed maybe it could fixed with an operation if it was just some liquids flooding the outside laying of her lungs. And if it was worse, then she would have to go though chemotherapy and in any case, she would have to quit singing. In the first case she would have to quit it just temporally till she got operated and got over it; but on the second one… perhaps she would have to quit definitively.

Gimpei had been tried to find a solution for the problem and if it was just something not severe he said they could manage to create a work gap at our schedule for her to get over all that. Of course, we didn't tell anyone yet.

It would not be any good on telling Shin or Nobu because they would go too worried for nothing.

"Isa, if it's something so bad you should tell Shin and Nobu when you know something else." I told her when she was a bit better.

"I don't want to worry anyone." She said drying her face with her hand back. "I'm sorry to have put you in this. I should have behaved as I was supposed instead of beginning crying."

"You can't always behave cold as a machine, you know." I told her. "And if you want not to hurt us, then you should tell us about it when you know things."

"You have a full life to live." She said softly as she kept on working. "Maybe mine is to end soon. I don't want it to affect your lives."

That frightened me. She assuming she could die with such bravery and keeping herself together so well.

"Well, maybe Shin would do a song with your name." I said trying to make her think on other thing. "And even if you don't want to worry us, we are friends and we care about you."

"Yes, I suppose so." She said smiling mildly. "And… done. I've ended passing the data. Now… I suppose I should begin with the balances."

(Ren's voice)

It took me a bit to be able to do a phone call. As we were discussing about recording again another videoclip for one of our latest songs we were all together at the record company.

"Gaia Records Economical Department. Miss Okazaki on the phone." She answered on the other end of the phone. "How can I help you?"

"Hello." I said. "I see you were working. How are you?"

"Oh, hi Ren." She said on a more relaxed way. "Uff, it's been a nightmare until now. I have not stood up and relaxed but for brunch. And you?"

"Well, I've been working too." I said. "We have been discussing about spending some of our benefits for recording a new videoclip."

"What song for?" She asked then.

"Pretty Vacant." I answered.

"Oh that's just so good!" She said. "Yet perhaps Red Bounds would be better to record."

"I don't know." I said. "I just like playing. The rest is just for money. But let's stop speaking about work. What about having dinner together?"

"Sounds wonderful." She said. "But I had already appointed to meet Hatchi for her showing me what she lately did for her dear son."

"Takumi isn't going?" I asked her.

"She told me something about you were having a dinner with some chairmen tonight so he would not go home tonight." She told me. "Weren't you too?"

"Oh, that dinner…" I said trying to cover Takumi's lie. "Yes, I nearly forgot. Anyway, I think I'll go home early, those kind of things are for Takumi and Reira, not me."


	35. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER ****36: SAD NEWS.**

(Isa's voice)

I was laughing at a private party at the company shelter for "runaway musicians" where Nobu, Yasu, Yuri and Miu lived when I got the call. For once, I got used to seeing Yuri flying around Nobu all the time; I was beginning to not care as I also dated with Ren when both of us could. He was now at a tour with Trapnest and I had lot of free time to hang around with my friends.

Anyway, my throat was beginning to fail a bit so that was the reason why we didn't begin a tour then. Once again, they tried hurting us, but this time they didn't dared to put the attention on either Shin or me. I finally managed to get their signed contract not allowing them to publish anything about Shin or me without first asking us; all thanks to Yasu's great job writing those papers both the press people and our manager and me signed. Anyway, when I thought nothing could stain that happiness, I got that call.

"Miss Okazaki on the phone." I said.

"Miss Okazaki, I'm Doctor Kokawa." The man on the other side of the phone said. "Thank good I finally find you. We have tried to contact you all the day. I need you to get the hospital as soon as you can. You need to be operated the sooner the best."

That made me go white as a sheet and the phone sledded down my hand to the ground.

"What's wrong, Isa?" Shin asked me as Yasu picked the phone up.

"Sorry, I'm Yasusi." He said to the fall silent. "I see… No, I'll make sure she gets there immediately… Oh, I see… No, no. It's not a problem as she has chosen so… Sure, we will take care of it. Bye."

He then hung the phone down and put his cig off.

"What's going on Yasu?" Shin asked him.

"C'mon, we are leaving." He said holding my arm. "I'll call for a taxi."

"What's happening?" Nobu then said. "Why do you need to call a taxi now?"

"Where are you going so late in the night?" Mishato said then.

"I can't take such a gap now!" I said trying to break free from him but with no result. "I don't want to get there now!!"

Then it was not my arm what he caught me by but by the wrist and put me over his shoulder with a bit of effort and carried me while I hit his back.

"Shin, could you get home and take all her medical documentation, please?" Yasu asked him while hit his back and neck blindly. "Then get to the St. Luke's International Hospital; at Seiruka Kokusai Byoin, 9-1 Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku."

"I know where it is." He said.

"Wow!!" Yuri said. "That's a really deluxe hospital!! It takes famous patients!!"

"I don't want to go there!!" I said hitting his back even more, anyway, he didn't dropped me the slightest.

I would have never said he was so strong so as to stand my attempts of getting free… So he took me out of the area into the lobby where the security guard was awakened, I suspect, by my shouts.

"Could you phone a taxi, please?" He said. "If I drop her she will run away."

"A hard one, isn't her?" The security guard said. "I would put a cello-tape over her mouth to make her stop shouting."

"WHAT A RUDE MAN!!" I began shouting at him angry, even angrier than what I was. "HOW CAN YOU DO THAT ON A LADY?!!"

"Please, call a taxi and fast." Yasu said.

"Isa, stop shouting, please!" Shin said a bit worried. "What's going on?"

"I CAN'T GET TO THAT FUCKING PLACE!!" I said angry. "I DON'T WANT TO BE OPERATED!!"

Anyway, it didn't work. Soon the taxi had arrived and I was taken in there with Yasu while Nobu was in charge of telling Mr. Gimpei about it and Shin to get home and take the medical cards and identifications.

(Shin's voice)

I was really worried when I heard Isa was going through an operation we had never been told about. Nobu phoned Gimpei and Gaia while we were at the train back home.

"Nobu, you should return with Yuri and comfort her." I told him when we arrived home and I was looking for the things.

"She can comfort herself." He told me as he went to pick her some robes, towel, slippers, mp3… to put on a bag and take her to the hospital. "Even if she doesn't want me to, I'm going to get there and I'm going to be my friend's side all the time needed."

I then sighed and smiled. Even when he tried to deny it, he still felt something towards my cousin. He was taking her too much things so I had to tell him not to put all those in the bag; just the dressing gown, slippers, two pair of knickers and bras and perhaps the mp3 as she would be bored there.

When we got everything needed we went back out of the house after locking the dogs. We took a taxi to arrive the hospital.

(Yasu's voice)

Finally I managed to take Isa to the hospital and when we arrived there she had relaxed a bit. She was taken to a single room, one of the ones they kept for the deluxe patients and there she was given the hospital robes and done several test after taking her away on a wheels chair.

I was made to sign several burocratic papers and wait there until Shin and Nobu arrived. They were sweating and patting when Shin handed me the papers I asked him for.

"What's that Nobu?" I asked him when I took them to the room she would be staying at and noticed he was carrying a big paper bag.

"We… thought she… would be… needing this." He said handing me the bag.

I then checked they had brought her several useful things such as a dressing gown, slippers, tooth brush… even an mp3 for her to spend the time.

"Good idea." I said. "But the mp3 is not such cause she can't sing and if she hears it she will surely be doing it."

"I'll keep it then." Shin said taking it and placing it at his pocket.

"Where is she?" Nobu asked. "Is she already at the operation theatre?!"

"Hey, sit up and relax." I told them. "She is being going through some tests before they can even put her in the operation theatre. They could take even a whole day to take her in there."

"I'm staying!" Shin said.

"You are still underage." I told him. "And I don't think she would even allow you."

"What are you guys speaking about?" Isa said being carried in the room by a handsome nurse man.

"They want to stay here for the night." I told her.

"I don't want." She said shaking her head. "Shin is too young for it and Nobu already has someone to take care of. And I'm not so ill so as to need anyone babysitting me!!"

"Hey, she can just be with one of you." The nurse said. "And just for making sure this one doesn't run away." He added smiling. "She has tried to hit the doctor taking along the blood test at least twice."

"I know she was so similar to Nero and Lucius." Shin said trying to sound better.

"Ah, by the way." Isa said. "I think they are going to need someone to feed them while I'm here so… Shin?"

"I have left them and Yuki enough food for two days." He answered me.

"By the way, when are you going to operate her?" I listened Yasu asking the nurse while Nobu and Shin were to help me to get in the bed.

"We have to wait for the results." The man said. "The doctor will come later, and if the results are ok then perhaps she could be operated on two days time."

Two days, that was too much time, but Yasu was faster.

"I don't think you can keep her here for so long… Can't it be faster?" He asked.

"I don't know. You should wait for the doctor to come and give the results."

"Ya-san." I called him. "Could you phone someone for me? I can't use mobile phone here, so I would thank you phoned Ren when you leave…"

"Sure." He said smiling. "But now just change robes if you want and get in bed."

"Can I stay?" Shin said. "Please…"

"Shin, I need you to go home and take care of all." I said then again. "I don't need anyone to stay here, please."

"I can stay." Nobu said.

"Er… I think your lovely girlfriend must be waiting for you." I said shaking my head as I looked for a more or less good explanation. "And Yasu has still a lot of work piled to do so… Nah, I can spend a night here. And I swear you all I will not run away."

There was a second of silence and then the three of them spoke at the same time the four words just with the same voice.

"I stay with you."

That made me laugh while they began arguing for who will spend the night there.

(Ren's voice)

It was still evening when my phone began ringing. At the staff area where Jack or something like that, stayed with the rest of the staff we had at England. We were recording so he picked it up as he had been told "Yasu" or "Flame" or "Shin" or "Nana" would had to be always picked up. I was playing the guitar a bit as we were to record a tribute song of Sex Pistols. I already knew how to play it but it seemed Naoki and Takumi had certain problems with the new modifications done for Reira to reach the tones.

"Mr. Ren!!" He said coming with the phone at his hand and a frightened face. "Sir, Mr. Yasu on the phone. I think it's really important."

"What happened?" I asked him.

"Ren!" Takumi shouted at me. "We are recording!! I thought I said nobody could disturb us!!"

"He said something weird about a flame being at the hospital." The man said shocked and confused.

Then I grabbed the phone.

"Yasu." I nearly shouted as I ran out of the room into a soundless room. "What's happened?! How is she?!"

"It's ok." He said. "Calm up or you will also have to be taken to hospital there." He then went silent a second I understood he was taking a puff of his cigarette. "She is going to be finally operated. She didn't wanted to but I have managed to kidnap here there and then Nobu and Shin brought her things here. Now I'm down at the street smoking and phoning Gaia and you."

"When is she being operate?" I asked sweating on fear as Takumi hit the crystal door I had locked so as not to be disturbed. "What hospital at?"

"St. Luke's International Hospital." He told me. "It's a really luxurious one so she is nearly treated as a princess."

"And what did the doctor said?" I asked. "Is she in danger?!"

"Calm up." He told me once again. "He said that if she is operated soon then she could get over it fully, yet he never knows what can happened when illnesses are referred. Anyway… they gave preference to her case and she will be operated tomorrow."

"Ok, tell her I'll be there when she wakes up." I said.

"Don't be a fool!!" He said angry at the phone. "You are England and we are here!! You will never be able to do this so fast! And you have to take along a contract with your agency!!!"

"I don't care!!" I said.

"If she finds out you have done that she will be mad at you." He said making me go frozen. "She has not allowed us to stay with her for the night. She said she was ok and sent Shin home to feed her pets, Nobu with his girlfriend and me to rest for work."

"But you can't leave her alone there!!" I said while Takumi menaced to break the glass pane with his hits.

"Calm up or I'll hung down!!" Yasu menaced me. "She is not going to spend the night alone." That made me relax a bit. "Gimpei got sure she got the proper company. He said he would send someone."

"Don't you understand it?!" I shouted at him. "She doesn't want anyone!! She wants us!!"

"Ren!!" Takumi shouted on the communication line in the room. "Stop phoning and go back to work!!"

He was furious, I knew, but I was even more frightened.

"Shut up, Takumi!!" I roared.

"Ren, I just phoned you because I thought you ought to know it." Yasu said. "Do not come till you have ended there."

"Can I still phone her?!" I asked before he hung me down.

"No, mobiles are not allowed in there." He answered. "But I have left her a laptop for her to get a bit entertained. Ah, my taxi arrives. Have a nice time at London."

Then he hung down the phone while Takumi kept on roaring on the communication line; the news made me feel terribly sad.

When I unlocked the door, Reira was the first one seeing me with the rest of the staff, she asked me about all but Takumi arrived and held me by the lapels against the wall.

I don't know what he was telling me. All I did was looking down to a side. Then I noticed how he put me down again.

"C'mon, let's keep on working." He said.

I kept on, anyway, at the end of the recording, I kept on.

"Don't you come for dinner?" Naoki asked me as I kept on playing.

"No, I can't eat anything." I said. "And I want to end this…" I added writing a couple of pentagrams down.

"I don't understand you." Reira said a while later while I took the CD with the new song and the tribute one and placed it on the lap top she lent me. "First you went that mad when you spoke at the phone and now you can't stop working. What is that new song for?" She asked hugging her knees at my bed while I kept on typing on the computer.

"I'd like to travel back Tokyo now, but… I know it's not the best thing to do." I said trying to keep my mind cold, what cost me pretty much. "Did you knew Isa will be operated tomorrow?" I then asked her as I sent the song. "She was taken to the hospital today… it seems she could be operated and get over it all or die during the operation."

Then was when I couldn't kept on acting as if nothing had happened and I went down while Reira hugged me. I cried and cried till I went asleep next to her.

(Reira's voice)

When Takumi went so rough during dinner today because Ren was missing I didn't thought he should be like that. Naoki said he told him he couldn't have eaten anything so he was training.

As soon as we returned I went to see him. He was still at the recording area ending recording something at a CD with the help of one of the staff members that handed him the CD after they ended.

He then asked me if I could lent him my laptop because he needed to post something. I had no problem on lending him it but I kept on asking him about the whole matter.

"I'd like to travel back Tokyo now, but… I know it's not the best thing to do." He said sounding a bit bad to me if I must be sincere.

"Takumi would kill you if you did." I confessed him. "Anyway, why should you travel back with such a hurry? You have still work to do here."

"Did you knew Isa will be operated tomorrow?" She then asked me as he sent the songs on the CD. "She was taken to the hospital today… it seems she could be operated and get over it all or die during the operation."

Suddenly, he began crying silently and I went to hug him.

"I didn't knew…" I said also sadly.

All for sudden, his latest behaviour and mood was clear as water for me.

He then cried and cried till he ended up sleeping at his bed, next to me.

"Our father, who arts in heavens…" I began praying softly in English.

Now, all left for us that were caged on England to do was to pray for him. I would also tell Naoki and Takumi the following day if he allowed us. Now he was dating her, what happened her was also matter of all of us.


	36. Chapter 40

I'm sorry about the fact that it seems now chapters 37, 38 and 39 are missing but I wrote them down on a notebook on my summer holydays and now they have to be rewritten to the computer. As a brief summary I'd say they tell how things are in the hospital for one of Blast members and… that when it gets out all of them go England to record a new CD and promoting around Europe. And… here we got with the rest!!!

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

**CHAPTER 40: FIRST DAY AT ENGLAND**

(Isa's voice)

"Isa, we are arriving." My brother's voice said at my ear. "Welcome back home, sis..."

"Isa?" Shin said.

"Sorry, I think I got sleep." I apologized. "Anyone with jetlag?"

"No." He said. "Yet... I think Nobu is not too well either."

I then looked at him. He was white as a sheet, that was right. But I bet it was he was not flying on a plane before.

When we went down the plane, we had some problems again. First thing was some fans that heard, I don't know how or where, that Shin and I were going back. And then...

"You should relax a bit." Yasu said when he saw me so serious.

"Ask Shin if he recognises someone." I just told him.

"What's wrong?" Shin asked me while we signed some papers to fans smiling.

"Don't turn all for sudden." I told him. "The man with black suit and sunglasses. Did you remember I changed robes into this? Well, I knew he could not miss the chance of keeping an eye on me."

"One of your dad's men?" Yasu said.

I just nodded as I signed another autograph. That didn't seem to affect the rest as it affected me. Anyway, soon we were off their sight.

"Marion!!" I said running towards a blond girl wearing a white hat and smart robes and hugging her.

"Hey!" She said. "It's good to see you again!"

"Miss Okanzaki." A man that was holding a big paper with our names up told me. "It's a pleasure to see you came back."

"I'm so happy too, Robert, wasn't it?" I said smiling as I shook hands with him after having kiss Marion's both cheeks.

"Yes, ma'am." He said. "And don't worry, your friends and you will be treated as real royalty."

"Mr. White?" Our manager said at him. "Nice to meet you. We have spoken by phone."

Then both began speaking fast between them about technical matters, costs… meanwhile, we went to take our luggage and Marion went with us.

"The rooms had been settled according to all the preferences you told us." She began telling us. "And of course, you room has been also settled up for you, Miss Okanzaki."

"Nice." I said smiling. "Hey, I want the one at the end of the corridor."

"I meant the top one." Marion said softly. "The boss specified it must be like that and just like that."

"Is there no other choice?" I asked. "Ok, I'll take that then."

"You are not sleeping with us then?" Yasu asked.

"No, you will be on the floor 17 and 18." I said questioning Marion with my sight. "And I'll be alone on the flat 19. But you can come my suit whenever you want."

"I want to sleep there too!!" Shin said smiling. "Please!!"

"Sorry, that's… let's say the room is too much my style." I said. "In fact all the room is too much my style because I designed it. But you are always welcome there."

"Ah." Marion said while the bus took us to the hotel with all our luggage. "Mr. 'Vicious' said he wanted to speak to you again yesterday night."

"I'm happy you didn't allowed him. We were on the plane and our phones were off." I said.

"That Vicious is relative of Sid from _Sex Pistols_?" Nobu asked.

"No, no." We said laughing.

"That's a nick-name one of our customers put himself so as to hide his stance there." Marion said.

"Some of the most important customers can choose to book with a nick-name so as not to be recognised by press or paparazzi or just fans that could sneak into our computer system." I explained. "For example, my favourite is Miss Lily Evans. From Harry Potter, one of my favourite books when I was little. Or also Miss Mulán, or Lady Juliet Capulet."

"Don't forget your favourite, favourite." Marion said.

"Shhhh… that's a secret." I said smiling and laughing.

When I saw how confused everyone seemed I decided to explain better.

"Marion is the young personal assistant of the family." I said. "She was once my friend and now she keeps being. Ah, and she is a really good ally concerning my father and brother's matters."

"So we are going your dad's hotel in London." Nobu said.

"We must have known when you booked it with such ease." Yasu said.

"It's going to be a bit weird to get here and sleep at the hotel." Shin said. "I was used to your manor."

"Yeah, but it will be easier to get the record house from the hotel than the family house." Marion said. "By the way, I must advise you Mr. Portrait finally was retired and now Robbie is the second one while Mr. Charles took Mr. Portrait's place."

"What about Kimberly?" I asked.

"Oh, she is the maid's head now." She told her. "And Yun was dismissed but Miranda took her."

"But that's good too!!" I said.

(Shin's voice)

"I think they have forgotten we are still here." Nobu told me.

"Well, she has been out for long." I told him. "Marion is friend so she is telling her about all the staff. She is really friend with it. Hey! Robbie is now so high?!"

"He got it recently." The blond girl said. "He is still getting used to it."

"Nobu, maybe now we are here I could introduce you to some girls I know." Isa said then. "They are good girls so I promise I will not say anything if you fall for one."

"I already have Yuri, thanks." He told her.

"Ok, as you want." She said. "I know models, actress of TV, maids, journalists… and of course some snobs from the English Nobility."

I just smiled as Nobu and Yasu went surprised on how much contacts Isa had.

"Say Shin." Nobu asked. "Is there Yakuza here and she is part of the heads of it?"

"No, here they are called Mafia, and tycoons are really as a kind of that but with prestige." I told him.

(Isa's voice)

"Ahhh!!" Shin said when he got in the bedroom he was having. "What a great bedroom!!"

"I'm happy you like it." I said smiling. "I asked them to specially give us this wing of the hotel. It's usually kept for deluxe guests, and then from floor 15 to 18 is for important guests taking staff. Then… 19 is mine, and the rest are ordered from normal bedrooms on floors 1 to 3 to the deluxe ones to 11th floor and then from 12 to 14th are the suits. As you can check, I tried to book the best bedrooms in the building and I took care of them being much cheaper than usual for us and just for us." I added winking. "And, I suppose I'll leave you to enjoy your bedroom and I'll go down to say hello, right?"

"If you don't mind I'd also like to go with you." Yasu said. "To help you with the owner in case you find him."

"The lord will be off for two months and the young lord is off during this week but will come back for the following one." Marietta said bowing.

"It's ok Marietta." I told her. "You can act normal with these dudes, they are friends of me. So… can you tell I'm back around there? Just try Jackson not to hear you, right?"

"Sure, Isa." She said smiling. "By the way, we are happy you came back." She added before closing.

"Marietta, one of the floor maids." I told my friends. "Really nice, if you need anything just tell her and she will do it the sooner she can. So, coming Yasu?"

"Yeah, maybe I can help with the boss in here now." He said.

"I'm the boss now here." I said before closing the door behind us. "Yet the 'first mate on this ship' now is probably to be Mr. White or Mr. Smith. Tough and sever men so try not to make anything that could make them or Jackson, the head of bedroom staff. They are the heads of staff."

(Yasu's voice)

"Isa!!" A pretty woman with earphones told her running down a corridor to hug her. "Oh, Isa, you've came… Excuse me, Miss Okanzaki." She added bowing gently.

"It's ok." Isa said smiling. "Ya-san is trustable. He is friend of me. Yasu-Evangeline, Evangeline-Yasu."

"Nice to meet you, Yasu." She said shaking my hand.

"And wait to meet the rest of staff." Isa told me.

(Nobu's voice)

We've been at the hotel for the whole afternoon now and after having some dinner and being welcomed by the one in charge of the hotel now the owners are not here, we went back up our bedrooms to rest.

"I'm feeling dizzy!" I complaint.

"It must be jetlag." Isa said smiling. "Try to sleep well this night and tomorrow it would have disappeared."

"Furthermore, you have some work tomorrow early in the morning." Gimpei-sama said.

"Early for you or us?" Isa said kidding. "Ok, you old people; I'm going down to relax a bit. Furthermore, knowing the staff here I know there will be something else later. Do you want to go too? Yasu? Shin?"

"I'm tired Isa." Shin complaint. "I think I prefer resting a bit, perhaps a bit of jetlag too…"

"And I think I prefer resting a bit for tomorrow." Yasu added.

"And you should also rest." Our boss said at our back. "You need your precious voice on good conditions for tomorrow."

"Ok, ok." She said. "As you want… I'll go up to my room and stay there. Just being a good girl and… Just a second, please." She added while she was rung on her cell phone.

"I bet it takes her less than five minutes to go back down to wherever the pool is." Shin told us two whispering.

She seemed to be speaking at the phone as she put a finger on her other ear.

"Kawano-san." She then said. "From Keltic records, they want to know if you prefer them coming to look for us or we go there alone. I personally think that for the first time it would be better if they came to look for us."

"Yeah, it will be better." He said. "If they don't mind."

"They will not." She said smiling to keep on speaking on English through the phone.

For me it was more than amazing to hear her speak through it so easily.

"Nobu." Shin said. "Do you want us to use room-service?"

"Wouldn't it be expensive?" I asked to the smile and hold the phone.

(Ren's voice)

I was just coming from having some drinks with Naoki and Takumi when the receptionist called me.

"Mr. Honjo" She said coming fast towards us. "Excuse me but… the guests on the attic room asked me to tell you she would be at the pool till she gets tired and that then she would be at the bar. And Mr. Ichinoise got a call from his wife again."

"Ok, thanks, Miss... Parkinson." I said smiling. "We now both know."

"You shouldn't flirt with all the woman you came across." Takumi told me off as she left.

"Well, at least I don't do them." I said. "Furthermore, I'm trying to be polite with the staff."

"Oh, Ren." Naoki said. "Shall we meet that mysterious lash, please?"

"Oh, no!" Takumi said. "You are going to go straight your bedrooms!"

"Sure, sir." I said.

Anyway, ten minutes later after having gone in our bedrooms I opened the door silently and sneaked along the corridor to turn the corner and face our bodyguard.

"Hey, sempai." I told him. "I forgot asking for something down so… I'll be out for a while. Cover me up, ok?"

I then literally ran away from him and got in the lift to go away by the very skin of my teeth. However, when the doors were opening on the ground floor I faced a black man wearing hotel security uniform.

"Going somewhere Mr. Honjo?" He said holding my shoulder.

"Damn…" I said.

"You should have known we would catch you again." He said. "Ok mate." He told through the speakerphone attached to his ear. "I got him… No, he will not put a toe out of the hotel, don't worry, we will take care of it."

"You are not handing me to them?" I asked.

"I'm just off my turn so… as there's someone requesting us to guide you to her I will reconsider the order and cover you up." He said smiling as he guided me still holding my shoulder.

He pushed me softly through corridors till we reached once again the place I first saw an occidental red haired angel: the hotel's indoors swimming pool.

There I saw the same shadow once again, going from a wall to another along the longest part; come and go back and come back till she jumped out of the water with her hair stuck at her back.

"Hey, hey." The man said. "I bet she has not told you but it'd be better you kept your manners when together. Here she is one of the bosses and the boss daughter and sister. No scandals here, please."

"I know." I said releasing myself. "I just want to hug her for a while. It's really long since we have not seen each other and… I've been worried cause she was ill all the time I've been here and before."

"What?!" He said. "You must not joke with that. If she had been we would have heard something about."

"She has not told anyone, I knew of her being operated due to a friend." I said. "So don't spill the beans." I added opening the door to get in.

"Julie, could you take me the mulberry when you can, please?" she was asking as she wrapped her hair on a towel to dry it up. "No, nothing special, I want to feel back home again. Thanks." She then fell silent for a second and again spoke. "Robbie, hey, yeah, good to hear you too. I was wondering… could you make me a favour, please? No, I just want you to turn the cameras off for some minutes, please. I'm on the Indoors Swimming pool and I'm going to wear some of my favourite robes of commoner so I'd rather my dear dad not to know I'm not walking around wearing as a dolly."

Then she stopped speaking and smiled at me as she took the microphone away from her face towards the top of her head.

"Hello, Mr. Vicious." She told me smiling.

"I think 'm dreaming." I said. "Because I can't believe you are finally here." I added hugging her.

"Surprise, surprise." She said smiling. "We have come here for dealing with some things."

"So soon after the operation?" I asked confused.

"Yes, have a look." She said caressing a spot at her chest over what was supposed to be her lungs. "They told me no scar will be remaining after some time."

It was something a bit incredible because she still had a whole sewed and covered with a plastic aid band. I caressed it softly, but I smiled trying to make her think I was not so worried.

"Ok, so… again, why did you come here?" I asked.

"Work." She said. "Nah, to be serious holydays disguised as work, he he. We will go to a super party a friend of me will be holding here in London to honour her mother and then the following day we will go to Paris and I'll go to Versailles to attend to Dior's mode celebration to commemorate he's being 50 years at that profession."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. That party of Dior's was really exclusive and the one held in London the day before was promoted for Lady Di's birthday memorial after death.

"I… you are going to such deluxe parties?!" I asked. "Yep, but the most important is the one being held tonight." She added going out wearing a cool punk mini dress.

(Isa's voice)

It was another mad night dancing and laughing at the party the staff held to welcome me and my friends back London. It was a pity that just Ren and I went there. Anyway, the party was really wonderful and all the time at the hotel.

Maybe there was not fun on the place cause of the strict laws and rules my dad and so, my brother, had put the whole staff under and that made our hotels one of the best on the world.

When the party ended, after having been thrown up at the air by the men, hugged till my ribs were about cracking, kissed till my skin was itching, dance with till I was about being sick of so many turns and tired of non-stopping dancing… then was when the party ended about 2 in the morning. I wanted to give a hand to clean but I was not allowed.

While I returned my bedroom Ren made the lift to stop and we began getting all the time away back till I was called by the earphone.

"Didn't know you had such a passionate boyfriend." The old security man said. "I know, I know… This has never happened."

"Make sure this is not seen by the wrong people, please." I asked him.

Then I made the lift keep on going up.

"Ren, I suggest repeating but away from the surveillance cameras, right?" I said smiling at him.

"We can not go out of here." He told me.

"Believe me, I'm the run away queen." I said joking while we reached his room area and he put his lips over mines for some more seconds before leaving. "If nobody caught me when I was littler they are not going to do it now. Good night." I added smiling before making him go out.

"Where can I find you again?" he asked me.

"I live on the only place of this building that the stars are seen as if you could touch them." I answered him smiling before the lift doors closed.

I had missed that a lot. And suddenly when I was changing clothes I heard how the doorbell rang and I went frozen as I remembered the last time this happened was with Renato. Same words on different floor and when I was changing robes he rang on my door. I then ran to open the door.

"Hello!" Shin said.

"Oh, hi." I said finally smiling. "Did something happen?"

"I just couldn't sleep so… I came to remember how was when we spent time together when I was still little." He said.

"Ok." I said smiling. "Come in, but get sure you leave to your room early in the morning, ok? Please, I don't want to be told off cause of this all, ok?"

"Sure!" He said smiling and getting in. "Wow!! What is this room?!"

"Er… I think you have never been here before, but this is my personal room in the hotel. And this is just the living room, my wardrobe behind those doors… and the bedroom is here."

(Shin's voice)

I couldn't believe the huge room resembling a whole big studio at the very top of the hotel. The living room was certainly bigger than our bedrooms. And when we reached the bedroom I jumped over the bed. It was so big that maybe all of us could have being able to sleep there.

"I think my dad overdid with the bed size." She confessed. "Ok, make yourself as home while I end on putting my sleeping robes."

"I thought you were wearing just that gown." I confessed surprised on that all.

"Yes, with a pair of short-knickers under it." She said putting them on behind a screen. "I could wear something else but as I don't know who is coming to wake me up I can't risk to be discover wearing just a t-shirt and knickers."

That made me laugh a bit. Certainly I was missing those times we met once a year.

"Ok, now… lights off and let's sleep." She said turning them off and getting in bed. "Tomorrow we have to wake up early, so at least let's avoid circles tomorrow."

I have always felt warm when we slept together when I was still a child. She didn't know it, but I always loved her, maybe even more than being family. And now I just got that call… I really needed to feel warm at someone's arms, not minding if it was my cousin's ones.

No, I have never been able to see her as cousin; she has always being my friend and a woman.

I didn't cared she was my cousin who was wrapping me with her arms, I always felt warm when it was her who did it. Maybe even warmer than when it was any other woman.

I hug her on a soft grip and buried my face at her chest robes looking for her warmth.

"It's ok, Shin." She then said kissing my hair. "Try to sleep, I'll be here when you need me…"

All of sudden I couldn't help to let out some tears in silence. For any reason, she was the one always knowing how I felt before I could have told her anything. She always seemed to feel when I was in need of that protective and loving-need state.


	37. Chapter 41

**CHAPTER 41****: MADNESS AT THE HOTEL.**

(Isa's voice)

I was about reaching the end of my dream when I heard how somebody knocked on the door.

"Isa…" A female voice said whispering. "Hey, time to wake your mate up."

"Hummm….?" I said opening my eyes to look at the owner of the voice with Shin still crouched against me. "Oh, Hi Lillian. Sorry, you are right. Shin… Shin wake up…"

He moaned something before slowly opening his eyes.

"He has changed not the slightest, has he?" Lillian whispered me back.

"No, not much." I said. "C'mon Shin. You have to get in your bedroom before anyone else notices you are missing."

"Oh, ok." He said waking up then and sitting to get up. "So you take me to my room?"

"Lillian will take you while I get ready for… facing some business before the rest of you waking up."

(Ren's voice)

"Ren!" Someone said knocking on my door. "Ren, open the door!"

I stood up and went to open the door to see an angry Takumi with the rest at my door.

"I told you he was not death." Naoki said. "Just over-slept."

"I was worried." Reira said.

"It's ok. I just over-slept." I said.

"Get ready now or we will have problems." Takumi said. "I told you yesterday to stay here and sleep. Where did you go?"

"Nowhere, I just stayed here yet I was hung on the phone for a while."

"From now on you are going to be taken away the phone in the nights." Takumi said about throwing it to the wall. "And you'll better not get out of here if you want me not to kick your silly ass."

"Really?" I asked. "I mean… I will not do it again."

Why should I when I was now so near my love. So now was not needed that way of communication in the nights.

"So, what do we have to do today?" I asked.

"A radio program with another band." Takumi said. "Maybe a local one. We have not being told, just were called two days ago to be told that it will be five minutes later cause of another band being also invited."

"Oh, I've heard it's a girls' band." Naoki said happy.

"How are you going to know it when not even Narita knows it?" Takumi said.

"I sometimes think he is just thinking with his male hormones." I recognised as I ended getting dressed. "Ok, shall we move?"

"First let's call for the help." Takumi said. "What was the name…?"

Anyway, when we reached the lobby, we saw something that rang me a bell.

"Excuse us." Narita told the girl wearing green top with black trousers that was laying a the receptionist counter as she wrote something down speaking through one of the earphone-microphone I saw Isa use the two times we were there. "Do you know if our vehicle is ready yet?"

She just raised a finger to show us to wait a second.

"Yes, I said you had to send someone to pick us up… Don't know, maybe Jack or Polly… Is J. free then?... Well, send him then… Ok, thanks… Sure, I'll give them a call right now so we will be there on time… Thanks." She added before turning to face us. "So, you asked about a vehicle?"

"Yes, we have to wait for our personal one to come and pick us up." Narita said.

"Ok… any name? Taxi? Bus?"

"Can we ask for a limousine, please?" Naoki said.

"Shut up, blondie." Takumi said.

"No, no." Narita said to the girl. "It was something from Virxin Records."

She then nodded and said a phone number through the microphone.

"Hey, Jacqueline, could you put me through with Benjamin?" She said. "No, no. It's ok; we have a guest here waiting for something… Ok, I'll wait… Hi, Benji… Ha ha. No, I came back for business… Sure, I'll sign you one. Sorry, but we have Trapnest here that are asking about a vehicle you seem to send them… Already gone?... Ok, thanks, I'm telling them then… Thanks! You are always so nice!!... Ha ha ha, ok. I'll tell Mark about it, yes… Bye." She said apparently hanging down as she lifted the microphone towards the ceiling. "The bus's left some time ago so it must be about arriving."

"Didn't you were told when did it arrived or what?!" Takumi said angry. "What kind of service you give then!!"

"Ehem." A man said arriving. "Anything wrong Miss?"

"No, Mr. Ichinoise is about nervous because their buss didn't arrive on time." She said. "There's no need of you here, I will deal with this, thanks Robbie."

"Ok, Miss." He said.

"Excuse me Takumi but I'm not working here." She said. "I've just cover Dean while he was out at the toilet. I'm sure he could have informed you better than me about it."

"So you don't even work here!" Takumi said still angry. "What kind of security they have here that allow working on another place to outside people?"

"Ah, but I'm not outsider." She said. "And if you don't stop shouting like that, sir, I'm afraid I will have to ask you to politely leave this hotel."

"How do you dare?!" He shouted as he was held by me that stepped in the middle.

"Takumi, she is the boss." Narita whispered at his ear.

"Beep!" She said elbowing at the counter. "Miss Okanzaki, Junior owner of the hotel. Nice to meet you." She added taking her hand out to shake it smiling with us all.

Her presentation made us all a bit confused while I recognised Isa that was now wearing smart robes.

"Isa?" Naoki asked. "Wow, you are… different."

"While I'm on public I have to keep my image of perfect co-heir of the Okanzaki Hotel Empire." She added while the receptionist came and bowed to excuse so she shook her head to tell him there was nothing to forgive and she walked out of the counter to meet us. "By the way, shall I recommend you to have some breakfast while you wait for the bus to arrive?"

"Miss Okanzaki." The receptionist said. "But the record house said they would arrive just on time."

"Yes, but there's about an hour since there to here and latest news I got was there was a huge jam at the centre so they will have to take it or the way through Park Avenue. In any way, they will be here on about ten to twenty minutes so they have enough time for a coffee cup and maybe some toasts."

"We would be really honoured if you sat with us." Narita told her still not realising on who she was.

"I would love to but I'm afraid you would not enjoy the slightest as I have to speak with other two people before having a fast coffee and maybe a toast." She said.

"You sit with us, please." I said holding her hand.

"If she has to work then that she must do." Takumi said.

We had breakfast without her but she promised to have dinner with us tonight if she could.

However when we went out because the waitress serving us said our bus had arrived, she was there still chatting about something with a man.

"Hey, Miss Okanzaki." Takumi said. "Tell the rest of your band we are not going to give the media up so easily."

"Oops, so I must suppose you have recognised me?" She said joking then.

"After seeing the portrait at the relaxing room…" Takumi said. "Sure."

"Then I suggest you to keep your mouth close about that connection, please." She said bowing. "We don't want me to be connected to the band being the tycoon daughter."

Then Naoki began shouting in joy and so did Reira, but Shin and Nobu came down with part of their staff. Then I held her hand and attracted her to me.

"So you have dinner with us tonight then, dear?" I asked her.

"Just if I can, promise." She answered me winking once.

As I knew Nobu was looking I kissed her there and then and she nearly slapped my face.

"In the future I'd rather you didn't do that on public, especially here where everything is recorded and my father still wants me to get married to a noble man." She said coldly before bowing and leaving to join her partners.

(Shin's voice)

"I can't believe he has…" I told Isa as we went to have some breakfast.

"Nor do I." Isa said. "I told him not to do such here because everything is recorded and I will have to do miracles to prevent it being seen by my dad."

"Anyway, what was the point on it?" I added.

"You know Ren can be a bit childish sometimes." Yasu said. "I think he was trying to mark her as his for Nobu to know."

"I still don't see the point on that." She answered while she looked at Nobu that was still choosing between the croissants or the muffins. "Why should he have to do it? I'm dating him, not Nobu."

"Think about it." Yasu said. "Ren is a man, his wife disappeared after divorcing from him, and now he has another one, her ex-boyfriend is nearer her than what he can be at the moment cause they work together and he works apart. Can't you see what is behind all?"

"Man, if my girl was like that I would be jealous." Shin said.

"Well, I can see he is jealous, but you can't ask me to understand that cause for me it's nonsense." Isa said. "If I'm with him, I'm with him. Now I can just see Nobu as a friend and band mate, nothing more than that."

(Nobu's voice)

"If I'm with him, I'm with him. Now I can just see Nobu as a friend and band mate, nothing more than that." Isa said while I arrived.

"Well… I think things are not as easy as that." Shin said. "Ren is a man and men want certain things, with a lack of that then we go a bit jealous without reason and…"

"If he wants that then he should have to work harder on it instead of… just acting so childish." She added making all of us cough a bit.

"Can we drop it, please?" I asked. "We are having breakfast."

"You are having breakfast." She said when her mobile phone began ringing. "I'm working. I'll see you at the lobby later." She added before leaving.

"I think she works too much." Shin said.

"We should do something." Yasu said seeing her leave. "She's just came out of the hospital and she should try not to put herself into stress so soon."

"Maybe we should give a hand." I said. "Do some of the calls, appointments… something."

"She is not going to let us help with that." Shin said shaking his head softly. "Don't offend but you two don't know English so well so as to keep on such chats with the workers here, and she will never allow me helping with that."

"Then make her leave that to our boss and staff." I said.

"She has left nearly all the work to our staff." Yasu said.

"But the record house here prefers to deal with her or when she is there." Gimpei said sighing. "However you look at it, she is from here and it's normal they want her to be there to help with the language matters and being the middle point between both sides."

(Isa's voice)

"I said no!" I shouted to the phone where I was now calling. "Once again… I don't want you to call me mistress there, or even suggest I have anything to do with the heads of the record house."

"Miss, your car will be here on five minutes." Robert said putting his head through the door.

"Thanks Robert." I said. "No, I was talking to a mate… The car will be soon here, so... just remember what I told you about treating us and specially me… No! No different treat from them and no MISSTRESS or MADAM calling me!!"

Then I hung down.

"Bad time?" Robert White asked me.

"Yes, it's always bad time when I'm the tycoon woman…" I said to then sigh. "I'll go to the kitchen to have a pill for the head ache." I added standing up and taking out the staff head's earphones with the microphone and the dial to call people.

"Cassidy, Eve, if you can hear me please call the customers on the 6, to 12 A to please get to the entrance cause the car will arrive on… 4 minutes 37 seconds now to the entrance."

"Ok, Isa." They said at once.

"Isa, I think the white haired matches you better than the hunk on Evelyn's wing." Josie said.

"How can you say such thing?!" A voice said. "Mr. Honjo is just so hunk!"

"But such a man is just intolerable for master's point of view." A male voice said.

"Yeah, the bald man would be much finer for her." Another one said.

"Hey, can't you just stop gossiping and do what I asked you to, please?" I said when I got in the kitchen by the service's door.

"Hello miss." Kostos said smiling when I got in the kitchen.

"Hey sis!" Eddy added handing me the pills. "Here you are."

"Thanks, Eddy." I said smiling and taking the water glass he was handing me and taking the pill. "I hate to work as a powerful business woman…" I added when the acid and sour taste of the pill reached my brain leaving the glass at the dishwasher.

"Well, someone has to do it, as I think all of us prefer it's you." Andreas said smiling.

I then smiled while Eve got in the kitchen.

"The coffee has been ended and Isa, your mates has left for the lobby." She told me turning after getting more bread for the toaster band. "Headache again?"

"If you were to deal with everyone at once you would also have. I wonder why I just have those here." I said.

"Hey, Isa." Dean from the lobby said. "Your beautiful cart is here for looking for you, dear."

"Coming!" I said. "Lillian, I'm using the way 1A, 2B and then the short cut, are they clean?"

"If you don't mind the little roach party at the shortcut they are clean." She answered. "I've tried to take care of them but they seem to… keep on wanting to party."

"Why don't you try calling a roach killer?" I added joking as I ran to the staff corridor area that was the fastest way to move there. "Ah, to the tailors, my 'Ladybird' to the lobby, please. If you don't mind."

"Just on the way." The girl from the tailors said. "And I must say your little 'Spring rose' is missing you."

"Not again please." I said.

"Why don't you like wearing pink?" Another voice said.

"Pink?!" Lillian said. "You have something pink out of the room?"

"Yes, I have and no, I hate that dress." I said changing from corridor to corridor. "My dad must be mad when he bought it. May, I'll meet you at the lobby lift."

"Ok, how are things?" I asked May when I went out of the short cut into the lift to the lobby.

"Your car is at the street corner… right now." She said. "Your dress is now down and the guys will be getting on as soon as the car comes."

"Fine, fine." I said.

"Isa, is everything right?" She asked me as the doors opened.

"Yes, everything is ok." I said rubbing my chest. "I'm just a bit… tired, that's all. Ah! Guys, thanks for waiting. My things, thanks."

"Are you taking things with you?" Nobu asked raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, you mean the clothes." I said. "I can't met anyone with dirty robes. Anyway, I'm changing at the car so don't worry."

(Takumi's voice)

"I can't believe it!" I said angry. "They just can't treat us as if we were beginners!!"

"But here we are just beginning to get in the market, Takumi." Reira said. "It's normal we are just treated like that."

"No!" I said still angry while the car was parked out of the hotel. "That's not ok because we are not!!"

"Takumi, you should calm up." Narita told me. "Don't know, go up to your room, have a shower, rest a bit and come back for dinner peacefully, right?"

"Hum… She says she will try to be down on time." Ren said. "Eight o'clock, isn't it?"

"Who?" I said angry. "Another press member trying to lower us even more?"

"No, Isa." He said.

That was true; I nearly forgot she was having dinner with us if she could. Obviously she could otherwise she would not have told Ren by messaging in the phone.

"Tell her she doesn't need to come." I told him more calmed.

"If it was for me, the dinner would be just she and me." He answered me softly while he typed a new message. "But I think she promised Narita so…"

I did what Narita had suggested me. I go up to my bedroom, had a long bath that relaxed me and I got ready for dinner. When I went down she was still not there so I asked Ren.

"She said she was nearly done, so maybe she will be 5 minutes delayed." Ren told us.

No, it was not 5 it was 9 nearly 10 minutes on delay.

"Ren, it's 10 minutes on delay already." I said bothered. "Where the hell has she gone?!"

"I hope you are not speaking of me." Suddenly a soft voice said back me. "I'm sorry about the delay, I had a call while I was having a shower and I had to recall answering when I ended."

"It's ok, milady." Narita said taking the chair back to allow her sitting. "Women's courtesy delay is at ten minutes at Tokyo."

"Here is for 15 minutes." She said smiling and laying her napkin at her lap with a soft movement. "Oh, you have still not ordered… I'm sorry about my delay."

"Stop acting." I said. "We know you are not like that."

"I think Mr. Ichinoise is still angry because I got certain gap at the TV programs before he could. Local fame."

"That's… glorious?" Narita said still a bit confused.

"Narita." Ren said. "I suppose you have not recognised our lady here as Trapnest singer, our friend Isa."

"Is it so?" He asked. "Wow! I mean… you really look as a princess now!"

"Well, despite on what I can look like being who I really am, I'm also this person." She said smiling. "But I'm kindda unconnected to my father or brother right now." She added smiling while we ordered. "I've grew up in this ambient and I'm perfectly capable of behaving as a good lady should."

"Hey, wait!" Ren said when he realised she had not been take order. "You have still not ordered Isa."

"You should tell them off for having forgotten asking you what you wanted." I said ironical.

"No need of." She said smiling with her hands at her lap. "They don't need to ask as they know what to serve me."

It was amazing; during all the dinner she behaved as a really good educated lady from the royalty or nobility. All of us, even Reira, were astonished at that change and some important business men came to say hello to her that answered with politely and brightness.

When the dinner ended we went to the hotel's bar and then we met Gaia's directives there too. Narita and our bosses began chatting with them and soon Reira and Naoki left while Ren held Isa's hand that didn't lost a single word from them giving her point of view from time to time.

Ren ended by feeling sleepy and so showed his eyes, more closed while time went past.

"Ren, you should go up and rest a bit." Narita told him. "Tomorrow you have recording of an interview."

"Oh, sure." He said.

"I should go bed too." She said. "Yet the chat is really interesting."

"Maybe we could…" Ren began.

"Ren, to your bedroom, now." I told him seeing through his words what he really meant. "And alone."

"Hey, you are not my dad." Ren said, then as he saw me serious he thought it twice. "Ok, ok. I'm leaving. Good night men, lady…"

"Night." All of us said.

"Good night Mr. Honjo." The red haired said smiling.

She stayed a bit longer and soon she also left. When I left I went to Ren's bedroom to make sure he was there.

"Hum… I see she is not here." I said.

"No, she saw something and left." Ren said.

"Good, she is a cleverer woman than I thought." I said. "Good night."

(Isa's voice)

It was true I left soon. I just went to Ren's bedroom to say goodnight and kiss him for a while. However, when I knocked on his door and he opened me to pull me in I saw his nose was a bit red and a little blood was going out of his nostril.

"Ren, you are nose bleeding." I told him. "Oh, no." I added when I realised why he was like that. "Hand it to me, dear."

"Don't know what…?" He began saying.

"The cocaine, hand it all." I asked him taking a bag from his back pocket. "No drugs while we are going out, ok? It makes me frighten to thing you could…"

"Hey, I'm ok." He said hugging me to comfort me. "Don't worry…"

We then kissed and after a while I went out of the room buttoning the neck of my dress smiling after having left him sleeping there.


	38. Chapter 42

**CHAPTER 42: SPLIT UP.**

(Isa's voice)

After two crazy days I was again woken up early this morning back in London. No, it's been not two days, it's three and I can remember nothing about yesterday from the point we went to that disco disguised as ordinary people.

I turn around to see Ren is by my side when Lillian woke me up.

"Ok, I'm going out to give you some privacy." She said smiling and looking to Ren.

As soon as she leaves I begin moving Ren to wake him up.

"Hum?" He finally said after me having to deal with a morning heat strike at his dreaming state. "Morning." He added smiling and keeping on hugging my waist.

"Ren, we have to get up." I told him. "Er... mind releasing me so as me to... put on better my night gown, please?"

It's true, while dealing with that waking up, my robes were down my breast on a side while I kept the other with the shoulder strap at it's right place.

"Why?" He said burying his face at my breast once again. "This is as heaven."

"Well, you have to work, I have to work... Doesn't it sound reason enough for you?" I added messing his hair to finally separate and sit at the bed edge to stand up.

"Oh, come here!" He said laughing and holding me by the hips height to make me fall down with him again.

That made me laugh again, and it took me about seven more minutes to make him leave with the robes I suppose he was wearing the previous day.

Two minutes later I was literally floating down the corridor at the ground floor to get to the reception to answer a call I got.

(Ren's voice)

It was certainly luck that yesterday, Isa was that weird. I don't know if she will remember much after having had such an amount of alcohol and the joint but I certainly can say it was a luck I found her before police found her swimming at that ducks pound at the public park. I nearly had to carry her to her bedroom when the nice maid that just got out of her work took me along weird and narrow corridors to the floor she had.

And then what a suit!! It looked as three times my Tokyo flat from the times Nana and I were to marry. Just her bedroom was about my whole home. I wonder if she has never got lost in her bed.

"Ren, stop daydreaming!" Takumi shouted at me while we were going at the car.

"Sorry." I said.

"It seems somebody has seen an angel today!" Reira said laughing and joking.

"What did I told you about going out at nights and meeting low girls?" Takumi told me off.

"I didn't go out at night and I didn't meet any low girls, happy?" I told him.

"You'd better not be lying because I'll end by finding out and then you are going to be a dead man." He threatened me.

(Nobu's voice)

"Can we rest a bit, please?" I nearly begged when we were made to play the same song for third time.

"My fingers are hurting!" Shin said moaning.

"Ok, rest." The producer said. "Everyone has a quarter of hour gap to rest."

"Wow, this is really funny!" Isa said.

She's been behaving a bit happy little child lately so I wonder if she is not taking drugs cause she works harder than ever and she keeps on having that cheerful face of hers.

"Isa, you must rest a bit." Yasu said handing her a bottle of water. "Remember your lungs are still a bit weak..."

"I'm just fine." She said smiling and taking the towel she was handed by her caretaker to dry her face and neck a bit. "Singing helps me feeling alive."

"I wonder what she is taking." I asked Shin.

"Nothing dangerous that you can think of." He told me. "She is purer than that. Thank god Ren arrived just on the best moment yesterday night and took her before she could jump in the pond."

"What pond? Who came?" I asked not remembering a thing from the previous day.

"She and you wanted to jump in a duck pond at a public park and Ren stopped you." Shin told me. "He literally had to hold her up to prevent her jumping in the water."

"Hey, where did you run away yesterday?" Gimpei asked us frowning. "We were to look for you at your bedroom but we didn't found you."

"Er... We were with some of Isa's friends here." Shin said.

"Oh, then I suppose that's just fine." He said. "Being with polite guys will do well on your image."

Polite is not how I would describe the chaps and friends she had. At least not all of them. Some were a bit hard to describe, but... how could you describe a bunch of three of the guys that pee on the street, drink to drunkenness and spit at streets? Luckily those were just three out of ten.

"Don't worry Gim, that will not happen again." I said. "We have not much free time now, do we?" I said.

"Well... you have some, but our lady..." Gimpei said on a sad doubting voice. "She has to record with us, then work for the company to pay part of the prize for the media paying us enough attention and also help giving us Gaia a hand on dealing with this people."

It was true; if I was her I would have also taken drugs for keeping up with that life-style she had to keep now.

"Gimpei, from the Teendencies, they want to book a day for us doing some clothe modelling." Isa said arriving and laying at his back holding a cell phone in front of his face.

"But they already have you tomorrow!" He said.

"Well, they say it's not going to be enough and they also want the whole band so... maybe you should speak with them and fix this up, please."

"But... humph!" Gimpei said taking the phone to leave.

"No more work, please." Shin said. "Why does everyone take just our faces and bodies?"

"Don't know, next time you could ask it yourself." She said taking a can from the chilled water. "So, what do you plan to do this afternoon?"

"We are free, remember?" I said.

"But you have to model, haven't you?" Yasu said.

"I'm going with her." Shin added. "If she is not there I don't want to go around a place I hardly know."

"Shin, you can't interfere on her work, remember?" Yasu said.

"It's ok." She said smiling. "I bet I can get allowance for you to be there."

(Isa's voice)

We finally were out of the record house. They got all they wanted from us for that day and after a long chat on the phone, I was allowed to take my band mates to see me at the photo session so I would also ask Ren if they had free afternoon so he could came.

However, when we arrived back the hotel...

"Hey, what's all that mess?" I asked when I saw the staff more nervous than before.

"Trapnest has been expelled from the hotel." Marion told me. "It seems Mr. Ichinoise brought somebody here and got caught doing it on public place in here and Mr. Honjo was caught with Marijuana at his room. He has been taken to police station to see what they do with him." She told me white as a sheet. "Mr. Okazaki Sr has just expelled them and their staff is packing things up. They will be kicked from the town too as they will not get a hotel now."

I suddenly felt how my knees went as rubber but I managed to stand still. If it was my dad's decision, there was nothing I could do. I knew my father's influence on the city and so I knew they would not find a hotel fond of putting them up because they were afraid on my family's anger.

I immediately called all the media, one by one expecting them not to do a first page out of this. When I had to model I tried to look my best, but all the smiles I wear were faked because I was nervous for what could happen to Ren.

When I got the call from the only media not having answering me first time I felt how my strengths left me and I fell on my knees.

First person coming to help me was Yasu followed by Shin.

"Yes..." I muttered on English trying to sound still. "Yes, I'll go and try to deal with it."

Then they hung down. This time it was not a trouble at another country where they didn't knew me, this time it was my home-country, where everyone knew who I was and where truth could hurt my image quite a lot.

Yasu held me around my back and it was at him where I buried my face to cry.

"It's ok..." He whispered at me while Gimpei tried to deal with the photographer and the rest of people there.

(Yasu's voice)

"Calm up, everything will be fine..." I told Isa while we sat down at the room where we had appointed to meet the journalist.

"No, everything is just upside down." She told me with her hands trembling slightly. "They know me; they know how I play... They have always treat to put dung on my life by blackmailing me cause they know they can't do a thing against my family or me so they do against my friends. So, everything is going to end badly, for Ren or for me."

I had never seen her as down and nervous as now. I didn't knew if it was cause she really loved him or cause she was really afraid of that people.

Anyway, I had the opportunity of checking it when they arrived; a female journalist and a boss looking man.

The meeting began and I saw how she was appearing to stand still over the whole matter but she was nervous inside.

Again they didn't want money, nor any kind of news.

"We already know everything about you that we are allowed to publish." The woman said. "There's nothing you can offer us."

"There must be something we can offer you." I then said.

"Nobody cares about the life of you, dear." The woman said. "The only one valuable here is the lady, but her family got an agreement with us not allowing anyone in press to publish anything about them without first asking, and of course no nudity, or drugs, or drunkenness... or anything lowering the family."

Ren was also my friend, but I could not do anything about him. Those men were tougher than Japanese ones. I now understand how she got that agreement so easily the previous time.

She was a great business woman but this time she seemed to being something interfering her from keeping her mind cold.

"Well... now you name it..." The boss said. "It seems there's something you can do for us."

(Shin's voice)

Nobu and I were waiting for Yasu and Isa to end the meeting for long. It seemed ages but after an hour in the meeting room they went out, our friends were serious as if they were going out of a burial and the journalists were smiling.

Then I ran to hug my cousin and she laid her head at my shoulder obviously trying to find some kind of comfort on it.

"Everything is ok now." I told her. "We are here."

"Miss Okanzaki!" Some of the maids said arriving running. "What's happened? We've seen the Torch going out of here!"

"Isa!" A dark haired man who she called Pedro said. "What's gone on?"

"It's ok." She said standing still and serious. "They came here to deal with something with us. You have nothing to worry about, it's ok now. No dirt over the name of the hotel or the family."

"And who cares about that?!" Robbie the security man of the building said. "We were worried about you!"

"Yeah, we don't care about the status, we would work here just the same if it was not that well know!" Another girl said.

That solidarity and friendship action was something moving, anyway, she kept on trying to stand still.

"I'm fine, so... now everyone to your post, at once." She said.

"Yes, mistress." They said before moving again.

"I am going to need a car." She said. "I'm going to the police office to see what I can do to put him out of there."

(Ren's voice)

I can't believe all that has happened in less than 24 hours. We were expelled from the hotel, police arrested me and now I'm on a prison waiting to be even judged.

I don't know for how long I have been here, I fell asleep and when they put Takumi out, he didn't even say something like "Don't worry, we will put you out of there" to me.

Suddenly I was waked up by a guard telling me to move in a foreign language I soon identify as English.

"Am I free?" I ask a bit surprised.

"You seem to have good positioned friends out of here." The man said. "Friends you don't deserve. Walk!" He roared at me.

"But... I can't understand... who...?" I began babbling.

Suddenly I saw a face behind the bars separating the prisoner's corridor from the public part. I ran to it.

"Isa!!" I said. "You've saved me?!"

However, she was not alone there. I then saw Yasu was back her, Shin on her other side and Nobu back them all looking at me at the corner of his eyes with a prey dog look of hate.

"Er... hello everyone." I muttered after kissing her hands that she quickly removed from me.

"I've managed to make this all to be forgotten." Isa began saying on a weird voice as if she was about crying but still and with a serious face trying to show no feelings. "However, Trapnest name has been endirt and there's nothing I can do about it."

"I'm more than happy that you have put me out of here." I said trying to kiss her but then she stepped back once. "What...?"

"I've managed to get it all ready for you all taking a safe flight out of here. Police will escort you to the airport and there you will meet your staff and mates." She said. "You must leave on an hour and if I were you I would take a long time before coming back here."

"But... when will I see you again?" I asked now worried about her cold behaviour now.

I saw Nobu and Shin were to answer me but Yasu covered their mouths. Isa was still silent and looking down.

"Isa...?" I asked.

"I'm afraid from now on the only contact we will have will be just on public places at events and interviews." She then said looking down.

"No... It can't be true!" I said. "Look at me!" I demanded while the guard held me to make me keep on walking to take me out. "Tell me looking at my eyes!!"

Then there was a silence while Yasu held Nobu and Shin tighter against him. It seemed hours the little seconds she took for looking up and looking straight to my eyes speak to me.

"It's over." She said trying to look still yet I must have felt the little trembling on her voice. "We split up. I can't keep on with this so please... don't even call me on some time."

It was last time I saw her cause I was held by three policemen and took to the car by force while I shouted her name once and again.

As soon as the police station was lost of sight I hit the contention pane and began crying. Why did I always have to ruin every love relationship I had? What was the problem with me?

(Shin's voice)

We are all back at the hotel now. Isa went up to her bedroom without having any food from breakfast to now. She didn't have anytime to have lunch today and she said she was not hungry for dinner.

All of us are really worried, but now her dad is at the hotel there's no chance of us visiting her at her bedroom.

Anyway...

"Pss... Pss..." the barmaid said when we were going next to the bar. "Kid, come for a bit of water..."

I then went to sit at the bar and asked for a glass of water so soon, Nobu came and Yasu sat down with us.

"I've heard about what's happened with Miss Isa." The lady told me on a whispering tone. "I know that what I'm going to tell you could cost me to be fired but... if you get to the second corridor on the left from the lobby and then you turn right on the end of that corridor Lillian could guide you to the room and the rest of staff will make sure you are not caught there."

"And why should you risk to be fired for helping us?" Nobu said.

"Cause we all like our mistress and we feel pain of seeing her so sad." The barman said going past back her to take a bottle to offer to a customer.

"Thanks for the water." I said smiling.

"Here, a tip." Yasu added putting some pounds at the counter. "For the help."

She then smiled and placed her hand over them to move them back towards him.

"This is for friendship." She said sadly. "We all owe lot to her, we all hate to see her so down. So, please, help her for us, you that can help her."

That made me feel something warm. My cousin had chosen to follow her dad's steps being a business woman and economisician for her business, but she was clearly not as cold as her father and brother. All the staff loved her over all the owners in the hotel chain; and she managed to gain our friendship too. How could anyone think we would not do anything on our hands to help her get over that all?

"We all love her." Nobu said. "As friends I mean. We will all help her the best we can."

I then smiled. Maybe that feeling he had for Yuri was not truly love but just another feeling; anyway, it was plain clear that he felt something for Isa. As me myself.

"Hey, kiddo, this way." The Rasta girl said poking me. "Ah, I see it's the entire band coming up." She added smiling. "Ok, try not to separate from me. We are going through the staff part."

"Staff part?" Nobu said. "In my family hotel we didn't have but for the staff rooms!"

"What kind of hotel is that then?" The girl said.

"Oh, Lillian!" A maid said. "You know no guests are allowed here!"

"Shut up blondy." The girl said. "This is a special deliver. Ok, from here on you will have to go with Jacqueline."

We were guided by three different girls till we arrived to the last floor.

"Hey, godfather." The Rasta girl said to the little speakerphone at her ear. "We need a bit of help, can you blind the eyes at the princess wing?... Thanks, you're the best… I'll tell her and see what she does, right?... Thanks for the hand." She said opening the door and making the guys to get out.

"You have five minutes, so try knocking on the door and wait till she opens." The lady said before closing the door behind her.

"I think this looks like that film…" Nobu said. "Alcatraz."

For a second I imagined all of us wearing as running away prisoners and then I shook my head while Yasu knocked on the door.

He did it again after a little while when we didn't heard any noise coming form inside.

"Try knocking harder, please." Nobu said hitting it harder.

Then we heard some steps on the other side of the door and when it was four minutes since the count down began when the door opened.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Isa asked blowing her nose at a Kleenex. Then we heard a noise and she pulled from us in the room and closed the door. "My father is a bit hard with safety and even the corridor to my room is controlled by cameras. What did you want?" She asked blowing her nose again and hiding back a paper wall to litter the paper handkerchief before coming back with us.

I then rubbed her shoulder sitting back her at the sofa back. Nobu and Yasu had sat on the sofa.

"We were worried because we didn't saw you down for dinner." Nobu said looking at her.

"Thanks for worrying about me but I'm fine." Isa said. "I'm just not hungry."

"We don't believe you." Yasu said. "At last I think I know the reason why you are not hungry and I think that's just silly. You have to eat something."

"If you are hungry you can take that." She said blowing her nose again and pointing to a table.

Since all the time together I just saw her like that or worse when Nobu and her broke up. Apparently, now, she felt a bit better.

"Ah!" I suddenly said. "I know what we are going to do. I have still not had dinner so if you don't mind I'm going to do something."

"Sure, there's a little kitchen hidden behind the door at the wall next to here." She said then pointing back and then to the left.

"You even have a kitchen in here?" Yasu asked a bit surprised.

"Mini-kitchen." She said. "A bathroom with jacucci and also a huge wardrobe and bedroom. This is just the living-room."

"And do you have any food around?" I asked. "Pasta? Meat powder? Tempura? Anything?"

"No." She answered. "But if you want ramen you can call Andreas and ask him to get you some. If you forgive me… I'm going bed."

"Hey!" Nobu said. "Don't leave so soon. We wanted… we wanted to discuss something."

"Yeah, about the new song." Yasu added. "We think it can be a bit… weird if you just sing it."

"Sing…" She muttered. "Wait a second, please."

She then went to her bedroom; I could see it while I asked the kitchen to bring us some food for me to cook it. Then she went out of it carrying a violin.

"It's long since I don't play but maybe this can help a bit." She said. "Just imagine this is a guitar..."

She then began doing some noises with it, moving the screws to adjust the sound and when she found it as she wanted she began playing a soft tune.

Soon her voice began filling the room and she didn't even mind when a girl hit the door bringing me the ingredients I asked for.

"Ah… she used to be so moving with her artistic skills and such a beautiful voice…" The girl said dreamily when she stood at the door. "Pity she just did it so well and fluidly just when she was worried or sad. Ah, I have to leave, say hello from me."

"Ok, ah; tell everyone I'm going to make her have some dinner up here." I said. "She has never said no to the meals I cook when I was little and we played kitchens." I added winking and nearly laughing.

(Nobu's voice)

"Dinner!" Shin said coming with a big dish when Yasu got to where he was cooking cause a bit of weird smell came to us. "C'mon Isa, come for dinner."

"I'm not hungry." She said from the sofa playing the violin again. "But you can have dinner down like normal people."

I was about telling her she needed to have dinner when Shin held her hand and pulled from her.

"C'mon dear." He said. "Chef Shin has cooked his speciality just for you." He added managing to make her follow to the table she had there after having put some paper sheets over it as if they were individual tablecloths with the table settled for four people according to what he got from kitchen, there, in the middle was a tray.

Then Shin removed the lid and then a mass of fried pasta with something green, white and brown over it making an unidentified mass.

"That looks… dreadful." I muttered to then nearly shout. "How do you think she is going to eat that?! It looks toxic!"

Anyway, suddenly Isa had poked the mass and moved it a bit to then begin holding her laugh and end up laughing softly at her hand.

"This is completely eatable!!" Shin said before realising she was holding her laugh. "Oh, she is important for me!! I would never try to intoxicate her!!"

Then she began laughing making us go confuse. She poked the pasta again with her fork and ate a forkful of it.

"Hummm… Shin, it's good as always." She said. "_Spaghetti chez Shin_?"

"No, this is _Back of the fridge autumn Ramen_." He answered.

"So… let's have dinner." Yasu said sitting down too.

Smiling both sat down and served them selves some ramen. I then decide to also sit and serve myself a bit of that.

"So…" He said serving some to everyone. "How is it?"

Yasu ate a bit and raised a thumb and I tried to eat a bit too.

I had to help shouting "Yuck!!" when I tested that pasta that was salty and weird tasting. However, none of us said a word, but when Shin left, Isa stood and took something from a drawer.

"I must have thought he would do that." She said softly to us smiling. "He never took the point with salt and meal mixes. Not even when we played."

"So, what is all this about?" I asked while Yasu spited a bit of the meal in a paper sheet.

"I remember we used to play kitchen's games when we were little." She began saying. "We used to cook meal with sand, water and everything we could find around saying what was it. And our favourite was _Spaghetti chez Shin_, what is formed by… spaghetti, cheese, onion, garlic, spinach…" She said trying to remember.

"Doesn't sound too bad." I said.

"Ice-cream, spicy meat, fried eggs, sausages, frenchfries… I think that was all." She said.

"And did your stomach stand that alien mix?" I asked about going sick.

"Of course." Isa said smiling. "I have eaten even fried insects for Shin when I went with him to Taiwan." She said whispering. "He has done it with all his heart, so even when it tasted awful I would eat a full dish, for him, for any of you."

Yasu then smiled and took another fork trying to swallow it without making a funny face of disgust.

"Ah, the trick is to think it's something you love." She whispered as Shin arrived from toilet. "Ah, Shin. I think I'll have a bit more, do you mind?"

Shin was happy when she asked him about it. I would have never thought those two could share such a bound. He knew how to deal with her and she would no doubt on doing whatever was needed for Shin, for all of us.

I thought that she was wonderful for that.

(Yasu's voice)

It was a bit late when I saw everyone seemed a bit sleepy and Isa was nearly slept. No, she was slept.

"Hey, I think it's time for us to leave." I said. "Let's take her to the bed and then we leave."

"Oh, I'm staying here." Shin said caressing her hair at his shoulder. "I think she needs me here more than in my room."

That made even me feel there was something between them not just cousins' relationship. Anyway, that loyalty and love was really admirable.

I held her up at my arms with her head against my chest.

"Love U..." She muttered so softly I think just me heard it going a bit red.

It was english, true, but I could understand her pretty well. Finally I managed to make her in the bed and I covered her while Shin got in the bed too.

"I'm sleeping here." He said passing his arm under her neck as if it was a pillow so she crawled against him laying her ear at his shoulder. "No, really, she needs human heat now she has..."

Nobu then laid back her being really red. Maybe on his little love brain he felt he was betaying Yuri or Ren or both or who knows what, but he laid there with an arm over her.

"Ok, ok." I said. "I catch the idea. I'll sit here to keep an eye on you."

They soon fell also asleep so I was the only one awakened. I then reviewed the day.

It was a long and messy day. Trapenest were now on troubles, Ren and Takumi were inprisoned for some hours... and Isa manged to take Ren out of the prison but she broke up with him.

Such a brave decision... I doubted if she did it cause of the profile she had to kept to take him out of there or maybe for the fact that he was discovered with marijuana on his bedroom. I'd had loved to ask her about it, but she was asleep and I was soon slept too.


	39. Chapter 44

**CHAPTER 44: BACK TOKYO.**

(Isa's voice)

"Ladies and gentleman, flight 403-LT is about landing at Tokyo's international airport." The lady at the loudspeakers said with her soft voice. "Tokyo's weather is sunny and the outside temperature is 30ºC. Thanks for having flied with..."

It was always like that, they used to repeat the same form once and again till they got bored, first on Japanese, then English...

"The captain and the crew want to wish you a happy time at Tokyo."

I was acting as if I was sleeping yet I was looking out of the window next to my seat. By my side, Yasu was sleeping and in front of me, Shin and Nobu were also nearly slept. It was not weird cause when we left London it was still night and now we arrived Tokyo it was day again.

However, when they were landing smoothly she began moving them for them to wake up. First Yasu, then Shin and finally Nobu.

"Wake up." She said motherly and softly. "We have arrived."

"Cool." Nobu said. "My back was aching."

"Ya-san, do you think there will be press and fans waiting for us at the airport?" Shin asked him.

"Could be." Yasu said.

"We made an entrance in English media." I said. "There will certainly be at least Torch there and so I bet there are at least a bunch of fans. Furthermore, I told Hachi. I bet she will met Miu and Yuri there."

(Nobu's voice)

Yuri! As soon as I heard Isa naming her my eyes opened in shock. I forgot telling her I was going back today and so, I forgot buying her something from London.

She would kill me but in the latest days we had not much time to think on those things, with Isa going through pain for the operation on the previous month, all the mess with Trapnest at the hotel, the hard work and everything I forgot about that.

"Hey, Nobu." She said when the plane stopped and everyone began moving. "Here. I suppose you forgot your present so I took this. I hope Yuri likes." She added letting a little paper bag on my lap. "I got them while I was at the hospital and as I don't use that I though it could save your neck." She added taking her bag, yet Shin was faster and he got it first.

"I will carry this." He told her. "You just carry yourself."

"Shin, I'm fine now." She said. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Easy, easy." Gimpei said. "Your anaemia, please."

"So, then why don't you also carry me?" She asked a bit bothered. "And then send me to the hospital again so they will put a lot of needles to see if I'm an alien too."

"Here." Yasu said handing her the present bags we had to carry with us and that were light as a feather. "Carry this for us, please."

She then took them still a bit bothered but said nothing.

When we were walking together next to the trolleys with our bags, we saw she was not mistaken; there were press and fans all over the exit door.

"Ok, leave this for us." Mr. Kawano said.

"Sir, if you allow me to opine, I think we should sign some autographs." Isa said. "Fans are our base so the best is to give them what they want. About press and media..."

"The best thing is to walk past and open our way ourselves." Yasu said. "That's true."

After some hissing they allowed us to do it. We walked our way out through the fans and media by signing autographs, shaking hands... Isa even gave out some kisses and took two photos with some fans.

I still can't understand how she is still able to keep on smiling being in pain for the break up with Ren and the anaemia hit she got while we were at England.

"At least we have recorded good material for our songs." She told me once.

Anyway, despite of the mask she wore in public, her smile now seemed quite true; that was something good for me.

Till...

"What do you think you are doing here?" I heard Isa saying.

I turned around to see Shin was by her side and Ren in front of both as the fans seemed to have stepped aside to allow him there.

"We have to talk, about something." He said.

"We have nothing to speak about." She said. "I already told you; so, if you don't mind we have to leave."

"Hey." He said holding her wrist. "It's serious."

"She said we have to leave." Shin said as she broke free. "So, if you have to deal anything with her just phone her."

"Anything wrong?" I asked going with them.

"No, Ren came to say hello." Isa said. "He's said it so now we have to leave."

"I thought he was bothering you." I muttered while we left for the bus that came to pick us up.

"He was, but we are now three against him." She answered me in the same whispering tone.

I couldn't believe she was so stubborn of appearing nothing happened. She was affected, I knew it, but I didn't know she would not spill the beans. In all this time, since Ren left to now the ones she has chatted about it longer was her cousin and Yasu, so I took the chance when she left for the bathroom in Gaia records for speaking with Yasu.

"Yasu, I was wondering... are you sure Isa is ok?"

"She is not." He just said after taking a breeze of his cig. "She just tried to appear everything is fine and that's what we fear most."

"And if she is not right, why doesn't she trust us?" I asked.

"She just doesn't trust you." Shin said. "And it's plain clear why."

That made me go confused.

"Listen, if you can't be with her, then don't worry about her." Yasu said. "She has her pride, she has not told you anything because you are her ex-boyfriend and you are now with Yuri so she must think that if she tells you it will be like making you cheat on Yuri or her to be thought of being playing dirty for keeping you."

Then we saw her coming back, she was cleaning the side of her mouth softly with her hand back.

"Hey, we end here and I'm taking you to the hospital." Shin said. "You can't keep on having morning sickness."

"I'm not pregnant." She said. "I'm just a bit sick lately, that's all."

My eyes went full open, this looked just as Nana and my past coming back again, repeating once again.

"Of course you are not." Yasu said. "But anyway, I would also feel better if you just went to allow a doctor to have an eye on you. A practitioner."

She seemed to think and then she kept on on her idea.

"I don't need a doctor." She said. "This must be jet-lag."

"Anyway, it'd be better if a doctor had a look at it." Yasu said. "You began a travel when you should have been recovering from the operation, you put yourself under lot of pressure and now you are sick again."

"Shin can't drive." She argued.

"Never mind." Shin said. "We could ask anybody here."

Finally she gave up and agreed to be taken to the doctor later. However, she seemed to get over when she heard some barks and then hits at the door that ended up by open allowing the two demons to get in the room.

"Sorry boss." A man said. "They seemed to smell them and they ran away." He added showing him a broken piece of a table leg.

"I told you not to tie them anywhere." She said. "Oh, my poor guys... Mom has missed you a lot. Have you missed mum too?"

It was good to see her smile too as she buried her face at her pet's necks while the other one licked her face.

"Here, here." Shin said patting their head a bit frightened. "Leave mum alone, she's dealing with important matters."

"Wow, they look like horses..." I muttered. "Even when it's just a month I don't see them."

"Ok, sit boys." Isa ordered them.

It's amazing how she can control such two demonical beasts with just an order. They sat down next to her and when she sat down they laid their heads at her lap.

"They've missed you a lot." Yasu said.

"It's like a cruelty what I did to them." She said. "It's two months since they don't see me because when I went out of the hospital I couldn't see them."

(Isa's voice)

The meeting was a bit long and dull, but at least I was allowed to stay with my babies and they behaved more or less well. It was certainly good to feel them there, warm and protective against me as if they were certainly my bodyguards.

Now I was going at the back seat of my own car, with my babies next to me and Shin in the front seat next to the driver. Yasu and Nobu were going on another car even when I told them it was not need of it.

When I went in the hospital waiting room, the driver took care of my babies. Soon I was taken by a doctor.

(Shin's voice)

While we were waiting for Isa to come back after some tests the doctor asked her to take at the same place, going from a wing to another, Nobu got a call from Yuri.

She seemed mad at him; I knew it because I could hear her shouting at the phone even when he was two seats from me.

"Please, don't shout..." He tried to peace her up. "No, I'm at the hospital. Isa is ill again... I brought you something, isn't that enough?!... She is our singer!!... Of course she is very important! She is also my friend!!... I can't believe you are saying such! She is my friend!! I can't leave her go though all alone!!... What are you speaking about?... No, I didn't got any calls... My phone works perfectly; you didn't phone or sent a message!!"

This was going a bit wild now. Even Nobu that usually didn't shout unless he was afraid or mad was shouting now. Lucky we were at the waiting room that was aisled from the rest of the hospital.

"FINE!!" He said.

"I know it's not my business." I then said. "But why did you argued with her?"

"Oh, she was just so narrow-minded!!" He said angry throwing his phone to the wall. "Why can't she stand I'm worried about a friend?!! She has even tied to lie asking me why I didn't answer to her calls and messages when she didn't keep contact with me!!"

"Well... maybe she is jealous because your friend you are referring to is a female that is now in trouble." I told him. "Women can't stand competence. I know what I'm speaking about."

"But... Isa is a good friend." He said. "I'm really worried about her. She has never been ill before the lungs thing and now this... What if she is pregnant?"

I knew now why he was so worried. It was not just cause Isa was sick lately again, it was cause in his mind it must have rang him a bell to Hachi.

"I don't think she is pregnant." I told him softly and smiling mildly. "Even if Ren and she did it without condom, she is taking pills that prevent that, and furthermore, being mother of a baby is something that wasn't in her new year's plans."

"And what if there was a mistake?" I asked him. "She would not know if it was Ren or mine, again."

"Don't be so worried about it." I asked him. "Maybe she is sick cause of intoxication, or cold... who knows?"

Then she came riding a chair of wheels smiling.

"Heya, guess what?" She said. "I've seen a woman I met at the other hospital. She said she thinks she is now pregnant after that fertility therapy she got while I was to be operated."

"That sounds good." I said smiling.

"How are you now?" Nobu asked her. "Do they know what you have? Are you feeling well? No sick? No dizzy?"

"No, no." She said smiling. "I'm feeling well, they made me use this cause they took quite a bit of blood from me and as I have had anaemia lately but not now they thought it would be better I was sitting. By the way, I think I've improved with this." She added smiling and playing with the chair.

For a second I couldn't help but to smile wide as I saw her so happy.

(Yasu's voice)

Finally we were called to another doctor's room to Isa be given the results of the tests.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked her when I met her at the door.

"Yes, I told you I was just right." She told me smiling. "This is not going to end up with me."

However, the results didn't seem much good. After telling us about all the tests results and that, he finally reached a conclusion.

"So, all left for me to do is to ask you to go to a gynaecologist and to have more tests." The doctor said folding the papers. "Anyway, my congratulations to the mum and the dad." He said shaking both her hand and mine making us go shocked.

"You must... be... mistaken." Isa babbled. "It can't be real."

"Maybe we got it wrong, but anyway, you should get to the gynaecologist and ask for expert's point of view."

That made us go shocked. When Shin suggested that option she hurried to deny it saying it was not possible.

"But... it's impossible." Shin said pale. "It can't be."

"Well... tests doesn't lie." The doctor said.

(Nobu's voice)

"Ok, Isa." I told her while we were driven back her home. "Everything is going to be ok."

"No, it's nothing ok." She said. "They must be mistaken. Look at me! I'm not a mother like! I can't have a child!"

"Calm up, Isa." Shin said. "They must be mistaken and if they are not at least they will have a super-mum."

"Shin, that's not funny." She said. "I'm not a good option for mother. I'm not sensible or reliable! I can't raise myself so how could I raise a child?!"

"Calm up." I asked her too; then I sighed. "There's no use getting worried about it now if you say it's impossible. Anyway, do you know who the child would be?"

"I don't know!!" She said. "Do you think I can have a child when I don't even know who the father is?! The doctor said it must be about three months now! We split up four months ago and Ren didn't lay a finger on me that way since two months ago just before getting into the hospital!!"

She was really nervous now. And I could not blame her; since we split up things had gone worse and worse for her. First that, then the illness, the operation, the hard work at England, Ren's break up… and now she was told she could be pregnant. It must be hard for her too even when she seemed to want to keep her straight emotionless face.

Anyway, when we reached her house Shin and she went up and I went with them carrying one of the big dogs tied by the chain.

"I'm cooking dinner." Isa said all of sudden. "Mind taking my babies for a walk?"

"Oh, one each." Shin said. "I can't control both."

"Ok, ok." I said. "But I take this one."

"Nero!!" Shin shouted to the dog pulling from him that had sunk his heels at the ground to prevent him to pull from him. "Do not chase that bitch!"

"Lucifer!" I shouted. "Lucio! Lucius! However you are called stop!!" I added when he made me fall down and pulled from me along the grass following the French poodle that seemed to be on her days.

Anyway, it was no use; they pulled from us along the park till they were stopped by a bank we could stop at.

"I wonder… how does she manage… to keep these monsters under control." I patted next to Shin.

"They just don't misbehave when they are with her." Shin said. "She has a hand with animals and men."

Time to speak clear. Maybe if I asked Shin he could tell me more than her.

"Say Shin." I said. "Those guys the media found out in her past… What were they for her?"

"Ex-boyfriend." He said. "Three of them at least that I know. Most of them were just friends, I've already asked her and I believe her more than I believe media. Anyway… forgetting about her past love life, I can assure you past loves for her are just that. They were ended so they are now just friends with all of them."

"So… you knew." I said.

"I knew three of the boyfriends she has had." Shin told me. "At least three that meant something for her."

Then both went into silence.

"Nobu, I'm going to be sincere." He told me. "If I had to speak about all of them, I would say you were the one she has loved most and the one hurting her nearly more than the rest. Renato, the model we met, he hurt her pride and she was furious when she split up with him. She has always been the one breaking up; but in your case."

"I can understand you hate me." I said gulping. "She is your cousin; she means more for you than what I can mean for you."

"It's different relationship for both." Shin said. "And no, I'm not furious at you. Well, I'm angry because you dropped her for what I consider a huge nonsense, BUT I'm nobody to get mixed on a business just concerning you two. All I could do was to stay there to pick pieces up each time she was depressed. Renato broke her heart, but you certainly sank a thorn at her heart that she has still not taken off and hurts her."

"I've never seen it that way…" I said sweating sad and worried. "And what about Ren?"

"He is a really good friend to her too." Shin said. "In my opinion he was just on the perfect place on the best time. He help her to get over you and so he got her heart. Anyway, he was there for whatever she needed when the rest were not and as I couldn't help her that way… well, he got that part."

I couldn't believe that part.

"But she is not that silly." I said sweating. "Ren is as a latin-lover."

"Yeah, but he was there when she needed you." Shin said then. "Nobu, you should have already know women can be easily got in if you know where to attack. If they are emotionally down you have more chances to get them for you."

That simple explanation made me go shocked. It had lot of meaning now for me. I was about answering when my dog began running again making me fall down to the ground from my knees again and pulled from me to the house as the other one pulled from Shin.

"May I ask who was the one giving the lift to who?" Isa asked from there as she patted their heads.

"We were soupposed to give them the walk but the truth is..." Shin began.

"Man, you should educate them better." I complaint. "They have pulled from us all the way."

"Because you have allowed them." She said. "Sit guys."

The dogs sat down obediently.

"See? They are well trained." She said. "Anyway, the food is ready, I was going to buy some alcohol, we have run off it."

"Can you drink it?" I asked.

"No, she can't." Shin said. "But she is worse to control than the dogs."

"It's not for me." She said. "Yet I'd need some due to the last shock. It's for you and our guest."

"There are still some bottles at the fridge." Shin said. "Let's get up and have dinner, right?"

"Cool." I said smiling.


	40. Chapter 45

**CHAPTER 45: WHEN LOVE ENDS ANOTHER ONE COMES.**

(Isa's voice)

"No!!" Shin said. "Why have you won again?!"

"You know what it's said." I said smiling. "Lucky on games, unlucky on love."

"But you are not unlucky on love." Nobu said.

"Oh, I am." I said. "Yet you can think I'm lucky on that."

"Er… Isa." Shin said. "I think your kids have gone dead."

I then looked at them. They really looked as dead, but they breathed and suddenly Lucius sighed a bit.

"Nah, they are just drunk." I said, then Nero let out a fart that was noisy and then smelled as a rotten cabbage. "Oh, Nero!!"

"I'll open a window." Shin said fanning his face to try and get some fresh air. "Let's expect this goes off with an open window."

"Geez." Nobu said. "What did you gave them for meal? Rotten things?"

"Nah, alcohol makes them have farts." I said smiling. "By the way, who emptied the bottles?"

"Sorry." Shin said sitting back with us. "Isa…" He then began begging. "Can you get more alcohol, please?"

"How much do you plan to get tonight?" I asked him.

"No, Shin, you've drank too much for tonight." Nobu told him.

"No, no." I said. "I will go and get more. I will not be able to sleep knowing there's no alcohol left around."

(Nobu's voice)

"Oh, then allow me to go with you." I said a bit nervous about the thought that she could go sick again at the middle of the street or that she could be attack or...

"It's no need of." She said fast. "I can carry the bags."

"I insist." I said.

"Isa, I would be more relaxed if you took somebody with you and as your bodyguards are sleeping, drunk… dead, I would suggest him." Shin said.

"And why not you?!" I asked him.

"I still look as a minor." He said acting as a high-school guy.

I couldn't believe this was happening again. Last time he ambushed Nana (Hachi) and me, now it was his own cousin and me.

"Hey, Nobu." Isa said stopping as she was walking ahead. "Why don't we walk side by side? I feel uneasy if you are back there looking at my ass."

That made me go red as she was also pink.

"I was not!" I tried to complain.

"Of course, but… anyway, I'm not telling your girlfriend." She said.

"Don't worry about that." I said looking away.

"Look, the shop is over there." She then said pointing to the only shop lighted that late in the night. "A 24 hours open one taken by immigrants."

"Ah, I have never been here." I said.

"Well, as it's the only shop opened this late in the night I used to come here long time ago." She told me as she picked up some booze bottles.

Then I saw how delicate she seemed lately. She seemed to have lost some pounds lately since she was put at the hospital. Anyway, her steps kept on being as firm and confident as always.

I also realise on the nice forms she used to have were now still kept but a bit fainted for the lost of weight.

She seemed thinner and I doubted if it was just cause of the hospital thing or it was also due to the stress she put herself into lately too. Yet her ass and breast seemed just as always, maybe a bit littler but nothing too easy of seeing at first sight.

"Do you like pineapple juice? I'm taking some juice as I can't drink booze yet." She asked me all of sudden holding a plastic bottle at her hands.

"Oh, sure." I said going a bit pink. "Maybe you should also have orange one."

"Nah, here the orange juice is not good." She said. "Don't bother but Japanese don't seem to know what natural juice means." She added then smiling.

It was amazing because she seemed to know the exact beer brand each of us preferred and made sure of having some in her home, as well as normal prized wine, Jack Daniels she used to like and sake.

When she went to pay for it she also bought some chocolate and asked for a box to put all the bottles together as long as she could.

Immediately we were carrying two bottles filled boxed one each and some extra bags I carried at my arm.

"I think I should have carried both boxes." I said.

"I can carry things, I'm not a weak one, you know." She said smiling. "But don't worry, when we go back home I invite you to the last one, but it must be juice, please."

"Sure." I said.

However, when we arrived home, Shin was sleeping at the sofa and she woke him up to send him to bed.

"Sorry, alcohol has made me sleep while I was watching TV." Shin said.

Then I realised he was watching to the MTV where best songs appeared.

All of sudden Trapnest last hit appeared and soon Isa turned TV off so I realised Shin was sad and so was her.

"Well, time for me to leave." I said. "I'll come back tomorrow if you don't mind."

"Sure, then we could also tell Yasu." Isa said as I walked out of the room.

(Isa's voice)

I was finally on my pyjamas when I heard noises at the corridor so I went out.

"Shin, don't you think you have had more than enough alcohol tonight?" I asked him as I caught him trying to get another bottle.

"Isa, I need it." He said. "I can't keep on being…"

"If you are so worried…" I said, I then sighed and held his hand. "C'mon, to my bed… you can sleep with me, but try to sleep, right?"

"Oh, ok…" He said following me.

I got in bed after closing the door and having covered him well. In the same moment I got in bed and turned light off he huddled against me as if he was a little kid again.

"Everything is ok… I'm here with you." I said rubbing his hair. "Now, can you tell me why you have been so down lately?"

He fell into silence for a moment and then he spoke.

"Why do you women have to be so difficult?" He asked me.

"Reira…" I muttered. "Well, I don't know but we are just a bit more complicated than you men. It's genetic and evolution."

I could have made out without his confession, but anyway, he trusted me and told me about it all.

"Reira and I have broken up, again." He told me.

Then he told me nearly all the details not too private of the break up and I felt how he cried at my chest robes. I closed my eyes and hug him.

I knew how was to be dumped by the one you loved, how it was to be deceived by that person… how was to break up with the person you loved. It was not because I was a woman; it was because I was I and nobody else.

"Everything is going to be fine from now on." I told him when he passed from cry to sobbing. "You can cry all you need now. I don't mind if you soak me if you feel more relaxed." I knew it was like that, every time I cried, which was little times, I felt tons more relaxed after that. "All you two need is some time off and then you will make up again."

"Do you believe on red threads?" He asked me then without even moving on a sleepy voice.

"No." I said shaking my head. "I don't believe on red threads tying two pinkies from a couple together. Thread is a really weak material that can break easily; it messes, twists and sometimes it doesn't end on anything just… nothing. I don't believe on red threads tied to pinkies. But I believe that there's somebody out of there made for everyone, yet sometimes it's harder to find him and… well, some others it is a really difficult love."

"Thanks…" He said still on a sleepy voice.

All of sudden, I felt how he kissed my lips on a salty and tender kiss to then cuddle again against me.

I should have felt nothing with that kiss, but something inside me jumped when he kissed me. Somehow, I liked that kiss.

"I wish I was not your cousin." He confessed me about sleeping now. "That way we could become couple and we could protect each other better."

I then smiled as some tears began falling down into my pillow. Somehow I couldn't help to feel something strong and mixed then. If he has not been Shin, my cousin, the son of my mother's brother, then maybe I would have fought tooth and nails for getting his heart.

"Why does love have to be always that hard and weird?" I muttered before falling asleep with Shin still cuddled against me with his head under my chin.

(Nobu's voice)

I was now at my bed. When I arrived Miu and Yuri were at the sitting room chatting, when I arrived Yuri began telling me off jealous.

"Ah!" I finally shouted at her. "Now is me who is working for rotten our relationship?! It was not me who phoned you to shout awful things at you!!"

"You forget about me and you spend too much time with that girl!!" Yuri shouted at me throwing me all she had at her hand reach. "She is your ex-girlfriend!! Why do you pay so much attention to her and so little to me?!! You are still dating with her!!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!" I shouted angry. "WE WILL TALK WHEN YOU HAVE CALMED A BIT AND STOP BEING JEALOUS!! Good night!"

I then slammed the door so hard that I thought I had broken it when I locked it. Then I got in bed and covered my head with the pillow trying to unplug from the rest of the world.

What was wrong with her? What was wrong with us? Why was she jealous now? I had always shown her I loved her, then why was she so jealous? And furthermore, why it didn't hurt me as much as other arguments I had had with Hachi or Isa?


	41. Chapter 46

**CHAPTER 46: PRESS HARASSMENT AND FILM PAPERS.**

(Isa's voice)

I was still sleeping when my dogs woke me up barking at the living room. Shin was still sleeping. I smiled and kissed his forehead before breaking free from his grip and standing up.

"Shhhh!" I told them when I closed the door behind me. "The young master is sleeping, please."

Anyway, they were not barking at me. They were barking at the door, so I scratched their head and under their chins and then I walked to the door. I looked out and I saw some press members there.

I frowned and shook my head while I walked out to the window where I hardly moved the curtains to look out to the park and the rest of the street in search of more press.

Then I heard my phone ringing while it was recharging the battery.

"Yes?" I asked seeing it was Yasu.

"What happened in London with Trapnest has reached here." He said.

"Well, then it could be why there is some press members around." I said. "But don't worry for me; I'm a mistress on dressing up." I added letting the curtains go my finger and walking to sit at the sofa. "Who now I am worried about is Shin."

"What do you plan to do?" He asked me.

"First waking him up, then get a shower and manage to make both of us ready for the acting." I said getting some grapes and eating one. "I think I still keep some costumes from Halloween."

"They will find weird if they see two weird people going out of your home." He said.

"Don't worry about them seeing us going out home." I said smiling. "We have two perfect demons I would throw at them if there was need of it."

"Ok, ok." He said. "Nobu and I will send you a taxi."

"Ok. Ah." I said remembering about the previous night. "How is Nobu today? Feels better today?"

"You will see later." He told me after some silence. "But Miu told me Yuri and he had a bit argument last night."

"Oh, poor of him." I said worried. "With Shin and me going through rough times is more than enough. I can't imagine him also…"

"That's just a row." He told me. "Couples use to have those from time to time."

"Then I must suppose I have nothing to worry about, do I have?" I added more relaxed as I took the costumes. "Hum… I've found the costumes but… maybe I should try something different. Costumes customised and make up, a lot of make up."

"Hey, don't take too much risk." Yasu said. "I'll tell Gaia to send you help."

"Nah, don't worry." I said. "Give me the doubt benefit, Mr Attorney."

"Ok." He told me. "I'll trust you this time. Show us how good you are on breaking away from places with such too much surveillance."

"Ok, and Mr. Attorney, has a look at the media." I said joking as I waked Shin up. "Cause you are going to see us getting out without calling for attention."

Then I hung down the phone and explained all to Shin.

(Shin's voice)

"The place is looked over. We have press at the door, Channel 7 on it too and then magazines and Channels 4, 7 afternoon and 1 at the street." Isa told me as she helped me with the buttoning at my back.

"And do you really think this will work?" I asked her doubting as I was fastened the little ribbon at my neck.

"Yes, hand me what you need to carry." She said smiling and putting a rugsack at the table next to me. "I'm taking my little magic out."

She didn't take more than five minutes to come back from the toilet and her bedroom carrying a pair of brief cases. "I didn't think I would have to use this, but…" She said opening a briefcase.

Then I had to sigh as I saw one was full with make up and the other one, the larger one, with what looked as a full collection of chemical products, little painter bowls, paintbrushes… and even what looked as human parts.

"Now, Shin sit there, close your eyes and wait a bit." She said. "When you open again you will be another person."

"Isa…" I said a bit frightening when I saw her taking a little recipient and a bowl to mix two different powders with some liquid and stirring it with a paintbrush. "I… I trust you."

"Thanks." She said smiling. "I promise to leave you different and not terrifying. Now, close the eyes, please."

(Yasu's voice)

"Are you sure she said she would appear on TV and not being interviewed?" Nobu asked worried. "After all, they could be recognised and all that fuss was made for trying to interview them for Trapnest problems back at London..."

"I'm worried about them too." I recognised. "I wonder when they will be appearing…"

First I got their message at my mobile phone saying they will begin with the party, then we saw how the media inside the building was took off on a not nice way by the security guards.

"I wonder what they are waiting for going out of there…" Mishato said. "There are so much press there…"

Then we saw an old woman going out of the building, bent due to the lot of age she must have had and helped by a blond lash wearing what looked as a little posh woman.

"You bloody leeches!!" The old woman said holding to the young girl and shaking her walking stick up her head menaceling. "Ah!! You took advantage on old, nearly handicapped and defenceless lady as me!! I know you want to chase me for my heritage!! But I'm not leaving you a single yen!!"

"Enough, granny." The lash was telling her trying to peace her up. "They are not family."

"Tell us madam, are you…?" One of the interviewers tried to say but the old lady aimed her walking stick to hit him.

Luckily he avoided it.

"Madam!!!" He said surprised while the lash held her better to prevent her falling down as she lost balance when she threw the hit.

"Stop bulling my grandma!" The lash said. "Why do you insist on bulling her already demented head??!!"

"Wow, that woman really has guts." Nobu said with his eyes wide open at the attempt of the old lady of hitting the journalists around her as if she was trying to defend both women until the lash was able to help her keep on walking out of the building. "Do you think they will try to take advantage on that poor old lady?"

"That was just an old woman with bats at her belfry." Mishato said worried. "What an awful people… they should not bother old people…"

"I think the young lash rang me a bell…" Miu said softly.

"I suppose she was really appealing to you men." Yuri said smiling but with an acid point at her question.

"Well, she was somehow…" Nobu began saying.

That was what she had been waiting for and she began arguing with him again as if they were little kids.

"Stop that!" I ordered them. "The more important now is our two friends have still not gone out of there."

I was worried about them, even when Isa had told me they would be ok and that they would come out of there and into our place without calling attention or being caught and I wanted to trust her… I couldn't help to worry about her. They were taking long and they had still not gone out of the building, just neighbours being interviewed by media.

(Nobu's voice)

It was still some time when we heard voices coming to the room and seconds later the guard at the entrance came in helping the old lady at the media before trying to hit reporters trying to interview her or her granddaughter.

"Be careful, Ma'am." He told her. "The guys are here, hey, be nice and allow Okanzaki's grandma to sit down to wait her two crazy grandchildren."

"Immediately both Yasu and I stood up to allow her sitting down."

"Oh, how nice children." She said hitting our cheeks softly and sitting on Yasu's seat.

"If lady needs anything else just ask me and…" He said.

"It's ok." The lady said. "They will do it, such nice men… And leave for your work, you lazy join-smoker!!"

"Grandma!" The lash said holding her hand. "We are on a public place, please…"

"Oh, you are the honourable woman that nearly hit those journalists at the TV." Miu said.

"Well, they deserved it." The lash said with a deeper voice frowning. "How did they dare to disturb us?"

"By the way, when are my dear grandchildren coming?" The old lady said fanning her face with her wrinkled hand. "I thought they appointed to meet me to speak about heritage in such a dirty and stinking place as this one today… Tsk, tsk, they will lose lot of points at my eyes for this…"

"Yes, grandma." The lash said kneeling by her side. "Want something cool to drink?"

"No, no." She said shaking her trembling hand. "It's ok… I just need a fan, if you don't mind."

"Oh, here madam." Yuri said quickly offering the old lady her pai-pai.

"Isa and Shin will come." Yasu said. "But we have still not seen them going out of there." He added pointing to the TV screen.

"Well, the place is surrounded by journalists." I said. "They will need a miracle to get out of there without being caught."

Then the young lash began holding her laugh.

"Yasu, maybe we should call again." Miu said worried.

"I bet they are nearer than what you think." The old woman said.

"What about 100 yen?" Yuri said.

"Oh, I like bets!!!" The old woman said giggling and holding a little purse with her trembling hands at her furred lap. "Here… 100 yen." She said putting a 1000 yen bank note.

"Grandma, it's a 1000 yen note." The young one said holding it to exchange it. "Here, see? The 100 yen bank notes are those ones."

"Oh, thanks dear." She said smiling. "Well, who else want to bet?"

"I bet another 100." Yasu said. "For they taking longer."

"Me too." I said taking a 50 yen coin out of my pocket.

"Oh, you are lately poor." Yuri said. "Then I also bet."

"Ok…" The young lash said putting another bank note in the pile of them. "So… two say they're coming soon, three they will take long."

"Mishato will bet on Gimpei-san having to send a car to pick them up." Mishato added putting her bank note.

"Betting is illegal!!" Gimpei said.

"Ok…" The old lady said with her hands trembling as she had the glass of tea Miu just brought her to refresh her throat. "Then Shin and I win." She said with Isa's voice. "You guys are certainly really easy to fool." She added smiling.

"Hey, you are not Isa and she is not Shin, she is a woman and Shin is a guy." I said putting my hand ahead to prevent her taking the money.

Then she put two fingers in her mouth and took off the white big teeth licking her mouth as if that was drying her mouth, she also took off a white wig to show a big bun of hair hidden in it and held by a hair net to prevent it falling down.

"Do I also have to keep on de-making myself?" She said while the lash took off the wig showing Shin's hair down.

That left us all with our mouths open.

"But… but… your nose is not so big!" I said.

"Yeah, and your skin is not so wrinkled!!" Mishato said white.

"Latex." Shin said. "You should see her emergency kit at her room, it's really scary."

"I said I'm a master on running away with and without incidents." She said putting on the wig again. "I can look whatever I need for passing unnoticed. But I try not to lose that talent into nonsenses, just for extreme situations."

"Then you could make Yasu's head hairy." I said joking.

"I could." She said smiling. "But I don't know he would like it. It's a bit itching. Shin couldn't stand latex ads so I had to just travesty him and change his eyes colour."

That was amazing, if she could do that, then what couldn't she do. It now looked at me as if she was a kind of super-heroine.

While we were being taken to Gaia Gimpei told her some things with Yasu. They seemed to be speaking about something serious once again.

"Ah, yes." She suddenly said. "I remember that man. Nice one, and who am I suppose to share stage with?"

"Pierce Brosnan, Brad Pitt and Clooney; but… well, we don't think that would match you much." Gimpei said worried.

"Why not?" She asked. "I've recorded with him before, wearing a wig and those things."

"Well, it will be action." Gimpei said. "And it would take you a bit."

"And? I'll be well paid." She said. "I know that man's films. He pays really well and all the fights are choreographed before. All I would have to do would be training a bit for being able to act believable."

"Wait a second." I said. "You said you were going to record something with all those well know actors?"

"The director said he loved your ads apparition and the modelling things you've done." Yasu said. "As you've acted with him before he knows how you act and he says everyone will love you too. It's not bad paid but…"

"But?" Both Shin and I said.

"But she already has a contract with Gaia." Yasu said.

"Well, if I give them a good amount of money doing that they will have no reason for complaining." Isa said. "It works like that." She added shrugging. "Anyway, how much interest did that man put on getting me?"

"He said it had to be you." Gimpei said. "That it could suit you as a glove, don't ask me what he meant."

"It's a European sentence." Shin said then.

"He meant that it would match me really well, that the character was like done for me." Isa said smiling. "I wonder what he wants me to do."

(Isabel's voice)

"So that's why I think you two should spend some days living at the stars rooms too." The boss told us. "Shin is used to and I bet you will get used to it. They will help you fitting in there."

"Sure." They said.

"Ok, but as long as I can take my babies with me." I said.

"Er… I think no animals are allowed there." The boss said.

"Then I'll keep on living at my place." I said.

"Ok, ok." He said. "I'll manage to change that. Now… about the film, I think it could be a good promotion for all."

"If I act there I'll probably wear a different hair." I cut him. "It's like when I was at London. I don't want to mix my father and brother in this. And be sure they could make hell for all if the press found out the link between me and them."

"And what if you want to sing?" The boss asked.

"I said it clearly since I signed with you." I said. "I would look different on public apparitions, never too like the tycoon me so as not to be discovered."

(Nobu's voice)

"But what could any of them do on us?" The boss asked again.

"Believe me." Shin said. "You would not like to make them angry or ashamed. They would just… end up with you with just moving a finger."

"Really, you would not like to make them angry." Isa added. "My dad has really important contacts. Compared to him, my contacts are just scum."

That was something terrifying if it was true. And it must as Shin and she were a bit paler as they spoke about those men.

"I've been looking into her father through internet, newspapers… data in general." Yasu said putting out his cig. "He is not a commoner. He has really good contacts at all the high spheres. He is nearly nobility. Lord in England society, friend of powerful men, chiefs, politicians, TV directors… If he aimed at us he would just need a couple of calls to make all the country press to aim at us with all kind of rubbish and then our politicians to tell all kind of lies and move all kind of contact nets to make sure Blast name is put to earth and lower."

I was beginning to sweat madly as I heard and realised what he meant. Such a powerful man… I looked at Isa; she was looking down sadly as if she was ashamed on being part of that.

"Ok, ok." The bosses said. "Geez… first Shin making Blast nearly disappear, then Nana ran away… now we have picked as singer a Yakuza's leader child."

"She is not Yakuza!!" Shin said angry before I could say anything both hitting the table with our hands.

"Of course not, I was just making a comparison." He said putting the cig ashes away with a soft touch. "Anyway, that thing would bring us all more fame and it will be ok, but..."

"But?" We asked.

"But, according to the script we have been sent for her to learn it by heart, she is going to have to fight three different ways." The racoon faced man said. "She could get hurt."

"It's ok." She said. "All I need is some more training. I can do it. I can fight on martial arts, street fighting, boxing, capoeira, sword fighting… and I think I could learn to fight also with something else."

That left us a bit shocked cause, at least me, couldn't have imagined she could fight anyway than what we saw so much time ago when she was really depressed for having lost Peter's custody.

"Well, we can assure you she can fight with street rules." Yasu said. "And she would get hurt." He added putting off his cig. "She made a really tough guy in coma but she ended a bit touched too."

"Well, and what can happened to me if all the fights are choreographed?" She said. "It's going to be as playing, easier than real fighting."

"Well, allowing you to make that would mean stopping Blast's career for a while." The boss said.

"Oh, I understand…" She said then looking down.

"Well, it could be as a gap." I said.

"No, I don't want to do it." She suddenly said raising her sight. "You are right, I can get hurt and that would not be ok."

"You must be kidding!" Shin said then. "You were nearly killing for that chance when Gimpei told you about it and now you just turn it down?"

"Shin, if she wants to let this pass cause of us she is free of doing it." Yasu said. "We can't force her taking it."

"Oh, yes." I said suddenly filling up with bravery. "Yes, we can make her take it. I don't want to keep on playing if she is putting this chance down just because we could be recording something then."

"I join Nobu." Shin said then.

"Hey, behave." Yasu said. "Isa, just take a day or two to think about, please. If you want to act then do it, you can find a good way of promoting us and a little rest will do well on us."

She just looked down. I could see she doubted. As Shin said, she was willing to do it all before she heard we would have to be put on a stop while she was recording. Then she just seemed to have chosen to let the chance go by and not holding it.

"Anyway, you can't just go back your home." The boss said. "There will be press members any corner there."

"Well, we went away and they didn't saw us." Isa said. "I don't think hiding is the best choice. It will be as agreeing with them."

"It's not hiding." Someone said. "You are going to spend some days at the agency's hostel for the artists. Nobu and Yasu will help you there; they live there, and Shin too."

That just seemed to make her a bit down, but she then nodded.


	42. Chapter 47

**CHAPTER 47: NEW BREAK UPs AND OLD SMILES.**

(Shin's voice)

"So, what do you plan to do?" I asked my cousin softly. "We also rather you did that film appearance."

"I'm a bit unfocused now, Shin." She said as if she was tired and sad. "I have a bit mess at my brain, so I can't think clearly now. I suppose I will discuss it with the pillow…"

"Hey, moving to that place is not the end of the world." Yasu told her.

"Yes, but that's not home." She said softly with her head lying against the window pane.

"You will be put up on a beautiful room." I added catching her sadness. "And we can ask to be door by door."

That didn't seem to make her change her face the slightest. When we got in the hostel the guard greeted us smiling as always joking about me being back there after that much time.

Isa was put next door to me and I was given my usual room. She just went in her room and locked the door since the first moment, she didn't even have dinner, anyway, nobody seemed to realise on her missing but for us.

(Nobu's voice)

"Geez… I can't believe she is finally dumped here too." Yuri said at the TV room. "And you guys just seem to have eyes for her."

"That's not true!" I told her. "She is just… a bit down."

"And what!" She said a bit angry. "Miu and I also go down and you don't care so much for us!"

She was being ruled by jealousy once again, but I couldn't do a thing against it.

"Yuri." Miu said. "You don't know anything about her, please, close your mouth."

"Why?!" Yuri said angry. "She can say whatever she wants and I can't even say what I think?!"

"Yuri, you are not being fair." Yasu told her. "She has to do a hard choice; she has gone through things you haven never gone through."

Then Shin came back down with us.

"She is still in not wanting to move." He said discouraged. "At least now she has opened the door…"

"Ok." Yasu said standing up. "My turn to have a try."

He then left.

"Why?" Yuri said once again. "Just because she is hotter than us! You just pay attention to her cause of that! She is just a bitch trying to hex all the men around her!! She bit Nobu and then spited him away to begin with Ren to also spit him away!! And now she wants to aim and who knows who!!"

"Yuri." Shin said then hitting the table with his open hand angry. "I'm not going to allow you to say such things of her!"

Now everyone was tense; I had to protect Yuri, but how could I do when I was on Shin's part of the argument?

Then things went even worse, the argument went worse and Yuri and I began arguing strongly till she slapped my face for jealousy, anyway it hurt.

"Yuri, you can hit me as many times as you want." I said. "But this is over."

"Sure, this is over." She said crying in fury. "How can I be with someone when I don't know if he is dating his ex-girlfriend?"

"If you can't just trust my word then that means things were not going well between us." I said sadly standing up and looking away.

Then I walked out. Our end to the argument had made everyone silent now as graves so I rather also to go back my room and just lay there to try and heal my hurt heart.

It was true, I wanted to get love. I had more reasons for being jealous than her, she was a porn actress and I was just a guitarist. I could not do much if she didn't want to trust me that mean she didn't loved me as much as I did.

(Shin's voice)

"Yuri." Miu called her.

"SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Yuri said angry standing up too and leaving towards the opposite way Nobu took.

She seemed out of mind again, and who knew where she would go; Miu then apologized and followed her.

I then tried to get back to Nobu's room and knocked on his door.

"Nobu, open please." I said.

(Yasu's voice)

"Isa, this is unreasonable." I told her. "Open, please."

It was the tenth time I tried her to open the door myself and again there was no answer. I then tried the last chance I had. I just got Miu's message telling about Nobu and Yuri so maybe if I went a bit hard on her spreading the truth she could react.

"Hey, this is just silly." I said. "Do you think you have problems? Nobu has just break up with his girlfriend. And you just have the trouble of being chasing by press so you have to move here."

That seemed to make her react a bit. I could hear a little noise inside of steps coming from a point in the room to near the door, but she didn't seem to lay a finger on the handle to unlock the door. That made me sigh.

"Your only problem is you doubt about doing a work or not doing it, and you were made to move here." I said. "But there are people that have bigger problems than you."

Then I heard how she unlocked the door and opened it.

"First, I don't like this place but it's not a problem." She said standing at the door whole with straight face but swollen eyes as if she had been crying silently and now tried to hide it. "And second, the problem is not just press, as you have seen I'm used to run away without being caught; the problem's I don't know what am I doing lately, it's also I seem to always chose the most idiot men."

She now seemed a bit weak as if she was in need of protection. She stayed at the door hole rubbing her arm softly and looking down.

"May I get in and you tell me about?" I asked her.

"Hum." She said nodding and stepping aside.

Then I went in and sat down to hear her speak. I didn't know why but I knew all she needed of was to be heard and someone to give her support and advice.

(Nobu's voice)

I was locked up at my bedroom. Shin was out trying me to open for him to get in but I didn't felt like meeting anyone now.

Yuri, she was now gone too. The truth was I was beginning to feel links between both were beginning to break some time ago when she began going jealous on things like that I went to visit Isa to the hospital or that I had to go London for work.

How could it be possible I was so unlucky for love? I always got the wrong way and ended up hurt, as with Nana, Yuri, then with Isa… and now back Yuri.

Thinking maybe she would be the final one and that their previous break up was a big mistake was his biggest one.

"Nobu, open up." Shin said. "Hey, open up, I want to talk with you."

I didn't felt like meeting him then, I didn't felt like meeting anyone then.

Then I heard it.

"Nobu, open the door, please." A soft voice said. "I know what you must be feeling right now. Even if you can't believe it, I have felt that some times too. I'm going through the same right now. And hiding doesn't help."

I then sat at the bed. Why was Isa there? From all the person that could be there, knocking on the door she was the one I last expected as she was before caged at her bedroom.

"Nobu, please." She said on the same soft voice. "Please, open the door. It's better to talk about it all."

I was tempted of doing it but I just stood there with my hand over the handle's unlocking twisting part.

What was I thinking about? I couldn't open it. She and treating her well was the reason for which Yuri and I broke up.

"Ok, if you leave me no other option…" She then said as softly as before after sighing.

I then frowned trying to think on what she could do to force me to open the door, but then I saw how the locking bottom began turning slowly towards the open position.

"What are you doing?" Yasu said whispering to her. "You are trying to break into a guy's room…"

"I know, but if he doesn't speak that could mean he has fainted or even jumped out of the window."

"Of course I have not jumped out of the window!!" I said offended when they open the door. "And how the hell have you unlocked the door?!"

"Don't worry, I don't go around doing it. Just when a life can be in danger or from breaking free my-self." She said standing at the door hole. "So, what's gone wrong now?"

"I rather not to speak about it with you." I said looking down. "Don't take it wrong. I don't think you can help me, it's… guys' stuff."

"Ok…" She said a bit doubtful. "Then I'll be up at my bedroom, trying to drown my problems on vodka."

I knew I had just being unfair on her, but it was in part cause of her that Yuri and I broke up. Who was I trying to lie? We broke up because things were not as it should between us. Isa was just the reason that made it roll up and the thread to cut up.

Anyway, Yasu and Shin stayed there.

"I'll go with my cousin and…" Shin said to him as if deciding what to do.

"Yeah, I stay with Nobu." Yasu said.

(Shin's voice)

"So, you are now better." I asked Isa while she take another sip of her hot chocolate at her hands.

"Aha." She answered. "Yasu made me understand it was all a little matter so… Anyway, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep well tonight."

"Oh, I could stay here for tonight." I offered her. "Just as we did back at your hotel room at London."

"That's kind of you Shin." She said smiling. "But… The bed size seems a bit…"

"Two people can sleep there well." I told her smiling. "But if you rather to spend the night alone…" I said trying to stand up.

"No, if it's ok with you I also prefer you to stay." She said softly.

I then smiled. Anyway, we took a bit to get to bed, and furthermore, I accidentally hit the mug and it spilled over her shirt.

"I'm sorry!!" I said as she rubbed it to try and take the stain off.

"Shin, don't worry." She said trying to calm me a bit spreading her hands to show me the palms. "I can take it off with a bit of water and soap."

"Oh, there's a laundry down there." I told her.

"Fine." She said. "I just… I change into the sleeping clothing and I put all my clothing in the laundry, want to give me yours too?"

"Hum, sure." I said running to my bedroom to take my pyjamas and put on to go back and hand her the clothing.

(Nobu's voice)

I was down for doing laundry after having had a long chat with Yasu about last events. He seemed to be always that point of wisdom when you needed it the most.

Anyway, he had left a while ago when I told him I would take my laundry down.

I was now sitting and I didn't expected anyone there as most of people were whether outside or at their bedrooms sleeping or resting. So when I heard someone coming towards the laundry room I looked up from the magazine I saw Isa coming in with a bag of clothes.

"Sorry, I didn't know there was anyone…" She said when she saw me.

"No, no." I said fast. "Don't worry, I was nearly done. And there are more washing machines here."

Then I hushed. I didn't want to be rude to her cause she was friend, but again, that was the reason why Yuri was so jealous and all. I was used to those things, since I began falling in love and having girlfriends after I met Nana Oosaki.

Isa just went in the room and put the little clothing in the washing machine to wash them.

"What happened to those?" I asked as I realised it was not just her robes but also some guy's ones stained on something brown.

"Oh, Shin dropped some hot chocolate over my shirt." She said dealing with the machine programmations for getting the one she wanted. "So, he also stained himself and so I've came down to clean it a bit."

"Ah, fine." I said going back to my magazine.

"So, how are you now?" She asked finally comming to seat on the other chair looking to me as she sat on a relaxed way. "Do you still feel angry at all this?"

"I'm not mad." I said offended.

"Hey, try lying Shin." She said smiling. "I know about break ups a lot." She added softly smiling and looking to the ceiling. "First you feel rage when you are dumped, then remorse, self-pitty..."

How could she know exactly how I was feeling? Why from all the people, she, who was the one I last wanted to understand me was the one doing it the best? I wanted to cry and shout and break things. Then she held out her fist after looking for something in her robes.

"Here, I lend you this..." She said opening the fist to show me a little ball with things written on it. "It usually works for me when I need to release a bit of rage." She said smiling.

"And what about you?" I asked her as her machine beeped despite of having been turned on after mine, so she took her things off it. "Have you decided what to do about the film?"

"Yes." She said putting the clothe in the dryer and programming it to seat back at the chair. "I'm thinking on doing it if they can guarantee me they will change my appearance a bit so as not to resemble that much to myself."

"Are... are you sure of it?" I asked her surprised on how fast she changed her mind.

"No. I'm never sure when I take the next step." She said smiling to the ceiling. "But that's called evolution. I want to debelope and I can't stand stuck any longer."

That thing made me go really shocked. She was suposed to be down by all the latest dung, I knew she was not happy or well; anyway, she seemed to be trying to face everything again, she tried to get out of her stinking hole herself.

"I thought you would need help." I confessed her.

"Well, I can't ask for it now." She said taking the clothes out of the machine again. "Not now you have yourown problems, Yasu has his and Shin seems as if he will have problems soon."

"Why Shin?" I asked her as I realised he from all of us was the only one not having problems now.

"His father is to get married again." She sentenced making my eyes open wide. "I just read it today on the net. I keep on looking my mother language online newspapers... They said my dad will give them a free travel to where they want to spend the honeymoon. That's going to break his heart..."

"And what are you going to do about that?" I asked her. "Will you tell him?"

"No." She said shaking her head. "It must be his father who tells him. If he is not... then I supose I will get all Shin's rage and tell him about it..."

"If you tell him count on me to help." I offered her.

I was doing it again! I was offering her help when she never asked me about!

Maybe I was really the kind of guy wanting to feel like a hero always.

"That'd be kind of you." She told me softly. "But maybe he will go even mader if he finds out everyone knew except him. Ah! it's already dried."

"How can it be yours is just done while mine is still..." I asked her while she got the clothes again.

"Well, you men don't seem to know when to do laundry." She answered winking at me as she smiled.

She was right. I don't know how but she seemed to be able to understand feelings before they were noticed even by us. She seemed to be able to understand us all perfect and she was really brave to want to face Shin's rage when he found out about that news.

Then I remembered on what happened some time ago when Shin went to prison for marijuana posetion and I went worried.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked me as she folded the underwear before putting the shirts back on the washingmachine.

"Ah, do you mind if we share this row?" I asked her realising I still had some clothes to wash. "They are all white so..."

"Ok, but I doubt it was that what was filling your mind." She said taking my basket and emptying it in the washing machine. "Don't worry, the laundry will be fine and faster than you doing it." She added kidding to the sit next to me to wait for the laundry to end being done up. "So, what was worrying you just some seconds ago?"

"I was thinking on that time Shin got into trouble when he was sent to prison due to marijuana posetion. It ended with our career." I explained her.

"Oh, I heard about it." She agreed. "I was really worried for him even when I didn't knew he was my cousin. But what happened?"

I then explained her all we knew about it and she just listened in silence.

(Yasu's voice)

"What is plain clear is when all this goes out to light, Shin is going to need all our help and support." I heard Isa told Nobu at the laundry. "I'm going to be there all the time for him, but... I don't know if he is going to allow me to stand by his side."

I was not there to spy them, I just wanted to tell him Miu finally managed to spot Yuri at a pub where she was getting drunk and nearly caught by the agency's boss when I heard him chatting with Isa.

I was there the time enough to heard about the news about Shin's father getting married again, and then Nobu telling her about the time Shin was taken to the police station jails for marijuana's posetion. It was a hard times we tried to forget.

"So, what do you suggest?" Nobu asked. "I will give a hand on being with him but..."

"No, you have not understood it." Isa said as shaking her head too. "He can appear a confident healty guy, but he will need more than just being there when he calls you. Of course I doubt he is going to allow us to be constantly giving him a hand, but... I want you to be his side 24 hours a day if he doesn't want me to be there. Right? You have to give him that hand with him not realising it so as him not to feel bad about that."

"It's weird." He told her. "Why should he feel such weird feelings?"

"He resembles me more than what I thought." She said obviously smiling mildly. "I'm a bit pride about that, but he just does it cause of his father's education on him."

I was really astonished on how did she dealt with all those; she was now showing she was more than just pretty clever, she was more than just that clever, she was maybe as clever as me...

"Ok, I'm done." She said all for sudden to Nobu. "I'll fold those back at my new room. Ah, by the way, if you want a recomendation... like this. It'll go faster if you do it that temperature and commands."

"Ok, thanks." Nobu said.

I could see those two finally seemed to have made up a bit, it would have been a bit hard and sad to see our singer and our guitarist angry at eachother.

Then I smiled thinking about those two, with my mind racing fast among all the new information and my new opinions about that nice girl...

And silent, cause when she came out she caught me there and made her head fall a bit over her shoulder in surprise after locking the door.

"How long have you been there?" She asked all of sudden.

"Just a bit." I said. "I've returned from something."

"Did you found Miu and Yuri?" She asked me making me astonish at how easy she saw things.

"Yes, Miu spoted Yuri somewhere." I told her. "I was to tell Nobu."

"Hum... I'm happy she was found before she could do anything foolish or dangerous." She said closing her eyes and smiling motherly. "I wonder what did she chosed; drunkness, pills, drugs... I don't think she is the kind of girl to chose suicide or murdering, and of course, not the kind of girls to chose prostitution or illegal races or fights."

Amazing, how could she understand people's minds so easily.

"What would you have chosen?" I asked her joking serious faced.

"Depending on the guy and how much I felt towards him." She recognised. "I don't fancy drugs and I don't think I would be able to suicide myself or muder someone... Ah, and not prostitution, yet maybe I would have ran to a men just if I needed to feel myself loved. Nah... don't think so." She said appearing to think it seriously.

"And if you had been Yuri?" I asked her trying to tempt her and see how far she was able to get.

"I can't understand her so well." She recognised. "If I was on her shoes being myself, maybe I would have act the way I did on the past... no, this time I would have felt furious, and my only and best way of releasing it all for me is burning adrenaline, so fighting or illegal races."

"You can't race with your car." I told her nearly laughing while we went in the lift.

"Oh, you would be astonished about what a change of outfit and nice body can do." She said all sure of it. "It would be not the first time I won an illegal race."

"And what do you won?" I asked her knowing she was pulling my leg.

"Cars I sold on black market, money... I even won a girl once, I felt pitty for her." She said as doors opened. "I released her and I supose she didn't went back to that prat."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. That girl didn't seemed to be the kind of 'Mafia' girl doing illegal things and monkey bussiness on black market. She seemed a bit weird, but a tycoon daughter after all. Correct and polite most of time, yet a bit scary when she was angry. She fought well and she certainly drove fast and a bit risky for being a woman, but it was fine once you met her better.

Anyway, this time she was speaking about illegal things. Illegal races where they bet cars and money were not what I had in mind when I heard 'tycoon daughter', not even when I heard 'woman' either.

"Good night, Yasu." She said when she reached back her bedroom door carrying the basket she brought all the way from the laundry room to there.

"Night." I said smiling as I finally decided that she was trying to pull my leg. "By the way, have you thought about the film?"

"I'll ask it to the pillow and tell you soon." She said locking the door softly.


	43. Chapter 48

**CHAPTER 48: BACK TO REALITY.**

(Shin's voice)

"Ahhh!!" I shouted when I saw a blond girl arriving to our side. "Isa!!"

"Heya." She said smiling and waving a hand. "Wait, wait! I'm wearing weird make up and you will end up looking as if you were death too." She added when I tried to jump to her neck making me stop. "Sorry, I'm carrying some blood bags at my robes so as to make them explode when they shoot at me."

"Wow, you really look... different." Nobu said.

"That was the aiming, wasn't it?" She said smiling and sitting down with us.

"How are you then?" Yasu said. "Feeling well?"

"Wow!" She then said appearing to realise we were all there to see her. "You really came everyone!!"

"I see you are feeling wonderful." He then said.

"Hum, yes." She said. "Well, at least I now feel well about the acting part. Yet I'm trying to deal with press the best I can... it's really hard."

"We meant about your..." I said touching my belly.

"Oh, great." She said smiling. "The director has managed to make it all go faster so as to pass it unnoticed, in the case I am really..."

It was about another month since we returned back from England and in all that time tests didn't probed a thing, and as she just went out of an anaemia, they couldn't make any blood test on her. And her gynaecologist was out on holidays till the following day.

"Oh, I've got a gynaecologist visit tonight." She said then as if she had remembered it all of sudden. "She just offered me to do it then because of the fact she was the one that helped bringing me to life and she has been my gynaecologist since always."

"I'd like to go with you to that." I said.

"No way, you have to give that conference." Yasu told me. "I'll go. When do I come to pick you up?"

"I'm going to drive there." She said smiling. "She will be home from 8 in the night and on; as I don't know when we are going to end here, I told her I'd go when we end."

"I insist." Both Yasu and I said.

"Ok, let's do it this way." She said thinking about a way of going out of the trouble. "Today I go alone and if the tests are positive we go all together next time, ok?"

(Isa's voice)

"Are you sure you will be ok going all alone?" Shin said when Yasu and him left.

"Sure." I said smiling. "But if I feel wrong I'll phone you guys later."

"I'm going your home for dinner." Yasu said. "Shin has invited all Nobu, Miu and me; so when you end come and join the party and so you tell us."

"Sure." I said while they started the engine.

(Shin's voice)

"Hey, Nobu. Have you lost again?" Hachi asked him smiling while she rocked her daughter slowly at her arms so as to make her sleep. ((By the way, I can't remember if here it was son or daughter; so as I've read it officially was daughter taking after Takumi and named Satsuki... well, I've decided to keep on with this. Hachi had a daughter of Takumi and she was called Satsuki.))

"I feel I can't beat Shin and Miu!!" He said as crying.

"The truth is Miu is really good on it." I said taking out a puff of smoke next to the window before splattering the rest of it at the ashtray and closing the window again to prevent the baby being cold.

"Shin, can't you just go smoking to the toilet?" Yasu asked him. "There's a baby in the room."

"Sorry Hachi." I then apologized.

"I suppose Satsuki doesn't mind much cause Takumi usually does sm..." She began explaining.

Then Nobu and I raised a finger making everyone silent to then I smiled.

"Here she comes." I assured them while the two big dogs ran to the door to wait for their mistress to arrive.

Seconds later, the door was unlocked slowly and the two dogs began jumping to be pattered their big heads by my dear cousin.

"Ok, guys. Sit!" She ordered them so they sat down obediently making her smile.

"So?" I asked her. "Do not make us keep on wondering! What did she told you?"

"You can't take it easy do you?" She asked softly as she took off her coat.

"Don't keep us waiting for longer." Yasu said. "How was it?"

"Fine, I suppose." She said. "I was not give a direct answer. They have to cheek something else before telling me something. Now... can I seat a moment, please? I'm exhausted... Oh!!" She said realising on the baby sleeping at Hachi's arms. "Is it lil' Satsuki?" She added whispering and sitting next to them.

"Shh... she is sleeping now." Hachi said smiling.

(Hachi's voice)

"Isa..." I asked the red haired lady sitting next to me with her feet over a puff so as to rest them better and her head backwards after 8 minutes of having arrived and while the rest were still being a bit noisy on the mah-jong games. "Are you sure you were not gave a straight answer? I mean... you must have been done some ecographies..."

I had realised she was a bit paler than usual, and she seemed a bit more down despite of the happy face she seemed to be wearing now.

"Oh, yes." She said softly. "Yes, I... I was done some ecography."

"And didn't it told you if you were..." I asked.

I really expected she didn't felt threatened about me asking that much, anyway, she just sighed.

"The doctor told me that for a 100 confirmation I must wait for another 3 days after tomorrow that I have to get her some pee to get it analysed and so she will make me further tests."

"So, you have a bit of opinion then." I asked her.

"Please... this is such a silly thing..." She muttered covering her face. "I can't be mother... I can't even take care of myself, how am I supposed to do it with somebody as a baby?"

"Can you hold on for a bit?" I asked her then. "I need to get the toilet, please."

She was a bit surprised on the request but she held nodded.

I then went to the toilet and I was using it when I heard Satsuki crying so I hurried to get out of it, anyway, when I did it I saw Isa had her on her arms holding her softly and rocking her so she had stopped crying and was holding her finger softly as they looked at each other mildly with some confidence...

I then went to her side and sat back down next to her.

"So, you were saying?" I asked her smiling.

"I was saying I can't be a mother cause I'm useless for taking care anyone." She answered me softly so as not to wake up Satsuki while she passed me her. "How could god allow such a person like me to be mother?"

"Well… I can assure you that you will be a great mother." I said smiling. "And it's not true you can't take care of anyone. You already take care of your cousin, Nobu, Yasu, yourself… and well, those two monsters you have as pets." I said pointing to the big two dogs that were lying next to the radiator sleeping. "Believe me, it's normal to feel frighten when you are pregnant first time and you were not looking for it. I felt confused and a bit scared, mainly cause I didn't knew who the father was. I was like a little girl then, I felt awful and even thought about aborting so as nobody to know about it. But, then someone told me that the baby would need a mother that was still, that I could not go down myself so as the baby to be happy."

"Good advice." She recognised softly. "Who was he or she?"

"You would not guess." I said smiling. "It was the man I would never have expected to give me such a deep advice; it was Takumi."

"True." She said smiling after some seconds of silence with her eyes wide open looking to the ground. "I would have never thought he could say such."

"So, I suggest you to think carefully about it all." I said realising on the time it was and standing up to get ready to leave. "If you want to give birth to your baby then you will have to be strong and live for him or her; if you chose to abort… then nobody of us would say anything against it."

"Hachi, there's no need of you to leave." She then said when she seemed to realise on what I was doing. "There's enough room for you sleeping here too."

"I know, but you have not bed for Satsuki." I said smiling as I put on our coats. "Furthermore, tomorrow morning a friend could be coming to visit me my home."

"But… if your husband is out on a travel… you would feel lonely." She said worried while the rest looked at me waiting to see what I said.

"Well, I'm not alone. I've got Satsuki." I said.

"If you wait five minutes I will take you home by car." Yasu offered.

"Yes, I'm beginning to feel a bit sleepy." Miu said. "Maybe Hachi-chan and I could share a taxi."

"I'm taking you." Yasu said then. "I felt better if I take you two to your places."

I saw then Isa smiling in fun holding her laugh for something as she patted the head of one of her 'babies' measuring nearly to her hips with their head on standing position.

(Yasu's voice)

"So, you say she told you about the tests?" I asked Nana (K.) Ichinoise.

"Hum." I said nodding. "She said she is waiting for the final results. Anyway... I think she is a bit frightened on what they can say."

"Hum... then I hope those two don't press her too much." Yasu said. "She could react bad."

"So she thinks..." Miu said softly.

"She has been told so, but... she doesn't want to believe it." Nana said sighing.

"Well, she would be certainly a good mother." Yasu said. "Has she told you what does she plan to do if it's positive?"

"No, I think she has her mind messed." Nana said. "But, she has a great mother sense, so..."

"Some women, despite of their mother sense have more common sense and prefer not to have their child until the conditions are good enough for them." Miu then stated coldly. "If she is recording maybe she would rather to abort the baby. Directors don't like their actresses to be pregnant, and she is beginning to go a bit fatter even if she doesn't want it."

"She can't do such a horrible thing!!" Nana said then terrified.

"She can, Nana." I said then. "I certainly can't tell if she would not dare to abort that baby. Her conditions of the pregnancy would be a bit difficult, if she were pregnant that would mean the baby is now 3 or months. And according to you, she is terrifying on the mere idea of being mother now. Fear makes people behave the most odd you could even suppose them to."

That made me really sad, but he was right. She was like a little girl, terrified on the idea of bringing a child to life on the present conditions she had, not even knowing who the father was... it rang me a bell to me, but I finally chose to have it and marry Takumi so as not to ruin Nobu's life.

Anyway, that woman to do such a thing... I felt really pity and pain for her. I could understand she felt so confused and frightened on the idea of giving birth to a baby in the present conditions she had.

(Nobu's voice)

"Row, again." Shin said laying his game again at the table making me go astonished.

Then I noticed Isa was again appearing to be on her own parallel world. Again appearing to be thinking on something we couldn't realise or understand.

"Hey, Isa. Are you sure you are fine?" I asked her.

"Oh, yes, yes." She said. "Wow, Shin won again!"

"Hey, you were not even trying." Shin said. "I've never won you on this before so many times on a row like this."

"Sorry, I'm a bit tired lately." She answered with a tired and worried face. "You know, the film is an action one an so I don't stop moving nearly in all the time. And furthermore I think the doctor took me 5 litres of blood yesterday..."

"Maybe you should go bed now." I suggested her while Shin went to the fridge and squeezed a grapefruit into a jar of chilled spring water before mixing it a bit and get hold of it.

"Isa, I'm bringing you something." Shin said getting in her bedroom after knocking on it and being allowed to get in. "Take it all as drink and you will feel tons better."

"Thanks." She muttered so softly I nearly didn't heard her.

Then he went back out of the bedroom and closed the door nearly fully but leaving it unlocked to come and sit back in front of me.

"Grapefruit juice mixed with water?" I asked him.

"So much time has passed and you still have not learned anything, do you?" Shin told me a bit hardly and with serious stright face. "She is worried about the tests, everything points out on her being pregnant and she is scared about it. She has not had the period for about three or four months. I have not seen one of her things at the litter in all that time so it must mean she has been missing it for that time."

That made me shocked. The history was being repeating again, this time it was not Takumi, it was Ren... he used to be my friend until he hurt Isa so much as he did on England. I thought I would not stand it all again.

"So, what do you plan to do?" Shin asked me. "Do you plan to fight for her or are you handing her to Ren? Cause even if you don't plan to go out with her she will need a father for the kid if she choses to keep it."

I just couldn't answer, my tonge was stuck to my palatar and I was so shocked it seemed all my words were locked somewhere else not wanting to get out of me.

Shin just looked at me in silence. He had been hard to me, and I could understand him this time. The woman we were talking about was his dear cousin, he felt something really stronger than just family bound towards her... and now she was going through hardest time than ever in part for Ren and my faults.

Then I felt how some tears began running from my face. I was shocked but I was also crying, and I could hear how in Isa's bedroom some little sobbing soft noises came too.

This time it was not something important, it was something deathly important; if she was really pregnant as all the signs pointed out, it would mean the end of a life; if she had the baby it would mean the end of her profesional life as singer, if she chosed to abort, it would mean the end of the new-forming life when it had still not begun...

_"What could I do? What I could do?"_ I then thought while Shin pattered my back softly I suppose moved by my disgrace at those moments.

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**BEWARE SPOILER!!!!**

For the author's notes it can contain spoiler because I've read until chapter 70 of the comic books; so if you don't know about what happends on all the guys and girls' futures then DO NOT KEEP ON READING.

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((By the way, I'd like to make clear wich of the statements published on Nana until chapter 70 I'll take for the fic:

- Nana Oosaki has disappeared due to a plane crash (or something like that)

- I'm forgetting about the fact of Nobu taking over his parents hotel and I'm changing it into he and his wife rule it from Tokyo.

- All of them are looking for Nana Oosaki due to a tip a jounalist on the Search give them.

- Hachi and Takumi's baby is a girl named Satsuki.

- Shin becomes formal actor.

- Despite of what it's published, Shin and Reira will marry on an end.

And I supose that's all for now. Sorry if I Spoiled anything.))


	44. Chapter 49

**CHAPTER 49: THE NEWS.**

(Isa's voice)

Finally the three days passed, and I'm driving to the doctor's gynaecology clinic of the doctor Nakazato where it seems it's also a paediatric part too.

Today was my free afternoon and so I chose to spend it going to the doctor and then I would see what I would do next.

(Shin's voice)

I was sitting at the agency's spare time room when I heard my phone ringing at my pocket and I took it.

"Yeah?" I said.

"Shin, have you heard of Isa?" Nobu asked me fast. "How is she? What did they told her?"

"Nobu, Nobu. Stop shooting words, please." I requested him. "She's not call yet and her mobile phone is off. I don't know how is her or even if she has gone yet to the doctor. Anyway, I know where the doctor's centre is so I suppose I will get there as soon as Yasu ends his business here."

"Where is it then?" He asked me.

I then told him so I suppose he was taking note of it cause as soon as I ended it he hung down the phone fast.

"Man… those two are certainly a mess of nerves…" I complaint nearly moaning. "Couldn't tell him we would also think about phoning Ren…"

(Isa's voice)

"Okanzaki-san, please come in." The nurse called me from the doctor's room's door.

"Yes." I said standing up and following the nurse into the room where she locked the door.

"Isabelle-chan." The lady said smiling at me. "Take seat please."

"Thanks, I would… appreciate we went to the spot soon." I muttered nervous.

"Oh my!" She said cheerfully. "You've not changed at all! You were a baby in hurry and you keep being on hurry being adult. Ok, let's go to the point." She said moving some papers and looking at them. "The tests have proved to be nearly all of them positive, at least the most accurate ones are all positive… And you said your period was missing for nearly four months since your last one."

"3 months and 24 days." I assured softly looking down to earth.

"And on your last visit I asked that in the case it was confirmed if you would like to stop it but you didn't answer to it so I asked you to think about it. Right?"

I didn't answer but just nodded.

"You also refused to look at your ecographies in case you wanted to stop your pregnancy so…" She said putting them down again to remove her glasses slowly to look at me on a soft way. "What have you chosen to do?"

"I… I don't know…" I muttered nearly not giving off a sounding thing.

"Ok, if you want we can speak a bit about your options, but if you want to abort I must also advise you about the risk on it now you are so far on your pregnancy."

(Nobu's voice)

"Where is Miss Okanzaki?" I asked as soon as I arrived the doctor's clinic patting due to have ran nearly for miles since I got down the train.

"Are you her husband?" The secretary said then.

"No, but… I could be the father of her child." I patted.

"Ok…" She then said. "Wait at the waiting room at the end of this corridor to the right and then on the third door on the right."

"Thanks." I answered to begin getting there.

(Yasu's voice)

"Sorry Miss." I asked the receptionist at the clinic Shin told me Isa was going for the gynaecology tests. "We were looking for Miss Okanzaki, could you tell me if she has already left?"

"My my…" She said. "So the baby is having three dads…"

"Miss, we are the only family she has here." Shin said reacting fast. "And we are two."

"Well, the other guy said he could be the father of the baby she is having and…" She said.

"Ok, so where is her?" Shin said.

"Wait at the waiting room at the end of this corridor to the right and then on the third door on the right." She told us.

"Thanks." We both said before beginning to head to the waiting room.

"So he has came too." I said.

"I told him where she was coming cause he seemed about collapsing if he didn't found out." Shin told me while we turned to the right at the end of the corridor. "Yasu… do you think she would have it?"

"The truth is… I can't tell either." I said as I realised he was really worried. "A baby could be the end of her career and she doesn't seem to know who the father is either, but I don't think she is a baby killer either." I confessed. "I'm frightened on how could she react if she is told she is pregnant… Cause it is probably on her being such on about a 91 per cent of probability…"

(Isa's voice)

"Thanks for all that help." I said smiling to the doctor. "I feel better now."

"Well, considering the circunstances I could do nothing else than that." She answered me also smiling. "I helped you comming to life and it would be a hounor to help your kid too. Please, think about..."

"Sure." I said. "This is something to think really deep and... I'll take my time to chose and I'll take it along to the very end."

"Ha, who could have told that she could grew up this strong and sensible..." The doctor said while the following woman got in the room with the nurse. "Hello Miss Hitoiro, please sit down."

Meanwhile I was walking to the waiting room and then I noticed my three friends sitting there waiting for me cause they stood up as soon as I came out.

"Wh...?" I began saying, but Shin jumped to my neck.

"Isa, how was it?" He asked fast. "Did it hurt? What did the doctor told you?"

"Stop bothering her, Shin." Yasu said holding him softly to separate him from me.

"Fine, fine." I said softly taking a lock of hair from my face a bit embarrashed on the show at the waiting room. "Do you mind if we chat back home? I have to sign some papers at the entrance and..."

"Do you need help with that?" Yasu asked then while Nobu looked at me silent.

"No, no." I said. "It's just the normal for my medical company to pay for this..."

"Ok, then we will wait at the car." Shin said being pulled by Nobu and Yasu when he tried holding to me again.

I couldn't help smiling motherly and mild when I saw how they cared so much about me. Anyway, I still felt a bit worried about how to do. What could I do? Having a baby when I was such a weird person? Could I dare to bringing someone to life in such a place as my home, with Shin living there, a working mother going all the time on tours and no father? Was I able to kill that baby?

When I signed for last time, I looked at the envelope the doctor gave me with the photos taken on the echography. When I opened the door, I found the guys at the car waiting just in front of the entrance.

"Do we take you anywhere?" Yasu offered.

"I have my car just over there." I said pointing to it. "I think I'm heading home. I had an awful morning."

"Do you mind if we join you at your home?" He said. "We have to speak about it all. About the doctor's words and all."

"You have to tell us all everything!" Shin said at the back seat.

"Sure." I said smiling softly with not dessire of it.

(Shin's voice)

"Lucius, Nero, sit." I told the dogs but they didn't obeyed yet they allowed us in.

"I still can't understand how does she keep them here." Nobu said when the two dogs went back to the door to wait for my cousin again. "They are terrifying even when you already know them."

"She has great love for both." I said. "They are like her babies."

"I wonder where she is now." Nobu said. "I checked it and she wasn't following us before."

"Maybe she went to get some medecines." I told him then.

"Whatever it is, I suppose Ren should know about it." Yasu said serious opening a window to light up a cig and smoke there.

"She will kill you if she finds out you have told him about this." I told him serious. "Furthermore, if she is truly pregnant she should chose who she tells and who not."

Then I looked at Nobu that seemed to want to speak but didn't dare.

"I've thinking about it." He said. "It could be mine too. She said she could be of nearly 4 months now, it was nearly 5 since we split up and 3 since she said Ren and her began doing it. It could be his mistake or mine."

Then we heard how a pair of heels clacked at the corridor floor outside home and later the keys moving at the door's keyhole.

"Lucius, Nero, sit down!" Isa said getting in. "Good boys..." She said rubbing their heads at the same time. "Mommy loves you kids..."

"Ehem." Yasu said from the window putting out the cig and locking the window again.

"Sorry, I went to buy certain medecines the doctor advised me to begin taking." She said. "If you don't mind giving me five minutes to change clothes into a pyjamas..."

"Sure, but meanwhile you can speak, can't you?" I asked her. "So, how was the doctor visit? What did she told you?"

"Please, one by one." She requested going in her bedroom and half-closing the door softly. "The visit was normal, and she told me some things; we've spoken for a long while, I'm sorry about the waiting people outside."

(Isa's voice)

"How were the tests?" Yasu asked me while I was ending putting on the gown over the pyjamas to get out to the livingroom.

"Fine, fine." I said trying to sound casual while I opened the door to get out of the bedroom and close the door again. "They were... positive."

"All of them?" Nobu asked surprised. "I mean... are you sure?"

"Yes, officially I was done all the tests it must exist to check it and just 3 out of at least 20 were negative." I confessed getting to the kitchen and taking a yogurt rich on potasio and a spoon to eat it and also a pill. "So... well, officially I'm..."

"Congratulations!!" Shin told me hugging me tight.

"Not so fast." I said. "I don't really know what to do..."

That made them go silent again.

"You still have not clear chose?" Nobu asked.

"Hey, do not press her." Yasu said. "It's a hard chose that must be thought carefully. Isa, if there's something we can..."

"Don't worry." I said. "I... I'll be fine."

"By the way, just the last time I mention it." Yasu added to his words. "I think you should tell also Ren, he will be happy."

"Yasu, I can't tell him. I shouldn't have told Nobu either." I said serious burying my face at my hands. "I don't know who the father is."

"Oh." They said at once.

(Shin's voice)

"Does it really matter?" I said while laying next to Isa at her bed with her crouched against my chest. "I mean... the father matter. You are not aborting it just cause of that, are you?" I said a bit frightened imagining her at the operation theatre being took out an alien like mixed with doll thing and then a lot of blood splattering while she cried on pain.

"No, of course not." She said. "If I do it, it will not be due to that. I don't know if I'm ready for being mother yet... I don't think I'm a good mother..."

"That's not what all of us think." I told her kissing her head softly. "If I was able to choose my mum it would have been Hachi or your... You are going to be a good mother, you have as much maternal instict as any other woman I have ever met and maybe more, and you keep having that trespaser actitude needed to be a survivor, a young person. You will grow up cute and great children."

"But what will be of me?" She then asked me softly. "I'll have to drop singing and acting and everything..."

"No if you don't want to." I recognised. "I don't know how but you are the only person I know able of nearly anything. If something is possible, then you will get it. And you would have to be out of scene for some months but you would be able to keep in touch with it too."

She was silent and crying again, so I just hug her tighter and stopped speaking to just show her I was by her side if she wanted to.

"Isa, think about it carefully please." I asked her. "If you have it, then I promise you I will be by yourside, whatever it can happend I'm going to be there for both of you." Then I couldn't help looking to the envelope with the fetum photos at her side table. "If she or he doesn't have a father, then I'll be such for him or her. And if you need support to face our family then I'll face them with you. I have nothing else to lose..."

She was the one hugging me then.

It was true, I had family no more, just her and our friends that were my new family. Since I knew about my father getting married again, I dennied of my family, I was even thinking about changing my surname, but each time I thought about it, I remember about Isa's words once: "Family can't be choosen, you are born on one and that's fate. But you can choose what you want to become. Choose your own path is something everyone must do; just you can tell who you really are, not a name, not a surname... yourself."

She didn't knew it, I think she didn't even suspected it, but she was one of the reasons I choosed to break with everything and take my own path from that point on, to writte my future choosing my life from the very start.

Then I noticed she finally had fallen asleep.

(Nobu's voice)

While I was laying at my bed on my old flat, I couldn't sleep. I just could think about the news...

Isa was pregnant.

She didn't knew who the father was.

She told me it could be me or Ren cause the baby was made in the middle of both relationships so she was not sure.

It was just as when Hachi's time; but this time I didn't felt like letting it run away.

Yes, I would take responsibility of my faults.

I didn't cared if it was Ren's or mine, I would tell her I would be the father of the baby she was expecting.

Yes, that was it.

I would take my family bussiness up and I would drop music.

The money I was putting up during all that time, saving it from the paid the agency gave us... it would be enough for paying for a good wedding day for us, and then I would be the father of the baby.

I would tell her the following day, cause she was keeping the baby, wasn't her?

If she stopped her prenancy it would be in part cause the baby had no father, wasn't it? Then if I married her it would be the best for her, for me and for the baby too.

With that idea I turned around at my bed and ended falling asleep thinking on the best way of telling everyone about it all, but first telling her the following day.


	45. Chapter 50

**EPISODE 50: THE NEWS THAT SPREAD.**

(Isa's voice)

"Ok everyone, well done!" The director told us. "Isa, you've ended for today. You can leave."

"Thanks." I said smiling to him.

"Hey, Isa-chan." The co-main actor I had acted with that day told me smiling. "Great job. Anyway... has something happened? You seemed a bit more quiet today. Is everything fine?"

"Yes, well, more or less." I said. "I have to get to the doctor today."

"Oh, then I supose that's why that man is waiting for you there." He said pointing out to the car where Yasu was waiting.

"Yasu!" I said when I saw him. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." He said as if it was plain clear. "I ended soon today, and as Miu is out recording some scenes of a film... I suposed you would not mind if I came to pick you up."

"Sure." I said shrugging. "Just wait a second I change back into myself and I'll be ready to leave..."

About sixteen minutes later I was sitting at the front seat next to him and he started the engine to leave towards Tokyo.

"So, you wanted to speak about anything or just came to say hello?" I asked him.

"You are really sharp." He said nearly smiling. "Yes, I came to speak a bit with you. About if you have chose what to do or not yet."

"I... I've chosen already." I said trying to sound convinced. "I think I'm having it. Shin offered to be uncle Shin for the baby; so I think the baby will be more than happy with just mum and his or her uncles and aunts."

"And the father?" Yasu asked me then. "I think you should also tell Ren."

"I'm telling him cause I told Nobu, well, he found out, somehow; anyway, I'll tell him when I think I'm ready." I said.

"Perfect, cause he phoned me before and we have appointed to meet all of us at 707 room." He said. "Nana Ichinoise is also comming, and maybe Naoki and Reira."

"Shin is going through bad times, do you think seeing Reira will help him?" I asked a bit bothered to then go a bit sad. "She is also somehow friend of me but..."

"Shin and her are adults." Yasu told me. "If she comes, which we don't know, both will do as if nothing happened. Anyway, I think it's going to be just Shin, Nana, Nobu, Ren and me. Maybe Naoki too, and perhaps also Takumi."

"If Takumi is comming then Reira is also comming." I stated. "So it's going to be all Blast and all Trapnest, isn't it?"

"It's awful to hear it that way, but yes." He said.

"Perfect, who had the idea? Because I want to know who I must kill first." I said. "Joining all of us in such a little place is an awful idea..."

"But that way, you will have not to lose too much time telling them too." He told me while we reached the outsides of Tokyo.

"I rathered to give the news first to Nobu and Ren to give them the chance of hearing it stright from me." I said crossing my arms at my chest.

(Nobu's voice)

"Nana, so happy you... hello, Takumi." I said more coldly when I noticed he was also there. "Ren..."

"I see you are not expecting us here." Takumi said ironically.

"Yasu told me Isa was..." Ren said a bit worried.

"She is who has to tell us." Takumi said. "Because Nana has been telling me the same."

"Man, how is so much people came at once?" Shin said realising it was all Blasts and Trapnest but for Reira. "It was supposed to be just us and the two fathers."

"A baby needs not two fathers." Takumi said taking his coat off and hanging it from a chair. "So if she is, then she will have to choose who she wants the father to be."

"I think her chose is not going to please you, Takumi." Shin told him frowning.

"Do you know, Shin?" Nana said comming to him. "Tell us, please... Oh, no! She is going to become a baby killer!!" She said going white in terror.

"Do not call to bad luck!!" I said while Naoki began behaving as if she had said there was a ghost around there.

(Shin's voice)

All of sudden, the air in the room 707 had went frozen and tense due to both opponents being sat the one in front of the other. I couldn't have thought on two good friends as Ren and Nobu becomming to the point of being enemies for a woman, so less that woman could be my cousin.

Suddenly, I heard how some steps came up at the stairs and some soft voices comming towards here speaking calmly.

"Here they come." I said then laying a tray with beers and spring water for all of the people there. "Guys, please try to behave as gentlemen and do not begin shouting. We are having two women now here."

(Isa's voice)

"Isa!!" Shin said jumping to my neck at the very second he opened the door.

"We were waiting for you!!! Are you ok?" Naoki said holding me too as if both were little kids.

"Hey blondy!" I said. "Shin, Naoki, stop please! You are about drowning me!"

Then both letted me go also thanks to both Takumi and Yasu that held both by their backs to made them stop that attack.

"Man... I think they are begging to be as my kids, yet they don't cover me in slobbers." I said. "Wow, is there a party being held and I was told nothing?"

"In fact... we were here to hear if it was true what Nana told us." Takumi said. "Is it true Ren made you pregnant?"

"I don't know who the father is." I said while the rest told him off and Nobu and Ren stayed looking at me silently. "But yes, the truth is it seems I'm pregnant and what I thought was me eating more than normal is in fact a baby growing inside me." I added sitting at one of the extra chairs someone put around there. "Hello."

"Hi." Both Ren and Nobu said.

"So... have you decided...?" Nana asked me worried.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Ahh!!" Naoki said terrified. "You are going to become a baby killer!! You are going to kill it!!!"

"SHUT UP, BLONDY!!" All of the guys said at once shouting at him for him to close his big mouth.

"Isa... you can't kill your baby!" Nana said worried and frightened. "You will be a good mother for..."

"Who said I'm going to kill my precious baby?" I asked confused on the path it was all taking.

"Are you not?" All said confused.

"Isa, if you want I could be the father and even st..." Nobu began saying but I closed his mouth softly with my hand.

"See?" Ren said. "It's my ba..." Then he fell silent because I covered his mouth too with my free hand.

I didn't wanted any of them to speak another word; I didn't wanted to hear they would not support me or they would do it and abandomn their dreams or make me abandomn mines.

"I don't want to hear anything else." I said still. "I don't need to hear it. I've already made my decition and I hope you both respect it. I'm going to give birth to my baby and I'm going to grow it on a home full of love; I'm not going to put away my dreams because it would not be fair for the baby either. And I don't think he or she is going to need a father, just a mother, so I don't want to chose one or the other as father."

"But..." Both said.

"I would marry you." Nobu said before I covered his mouth again.

"Me too." Ren said.

"I don't want to marry any of you." I said serious. "I've chosen it all to be this way because I don't want to make any of you marry me just because a mistake I made and because you are somehow gentlemen."

"You can't be a single mother." Takumi told me frowning. "Think about your career. You will be condemned by media."

"I don't mind on that." I said with my head high and still. "A child needs a mother, and I can play both mother and father's roles."

"And why don't you just take one of the two offerings?" Shin said.

"And which one do I take?" I asked. "You will say Nobu's and they are going to say Ren's. Futhermore, I don't want to make people out of here to lose two of the best musicians I've ever seen and heard; and just cause they would get married and would have to take a home along. No. I don't want that; I would feel miserable if I was the cause for what any of them would have to stop chasing their dreams."

"I have some money saved." Ren told me. "It would be not need on..."

"And what?" I asked. "What job would you take? What job would any of you two take? Nobu would take over a job he doesn't like much, and you? You would get whatever is offered. You would stop doing that for what you have been giving so much things all this time. I would hate myself if that happened..."

(Yasu's voice)

I was hearing for that speech our friend was giving. I couldn't believe such wishe and reasonable words came out of her mouth. She would dare to give birth to the child she was expecting on herown just cause she didn't want to damage any of the two guys' lifes as they had now. Hachi chosed the path she thought was the best for both Nobu and her, cause she loved Nobu more than Takumi and she didn't wanted to ruin Nobu's life because she thought that if she named Nobu as the father of her child, he would stop playing to begin working for keeping her and the baby along.

Isa on the other hand, seemed to have thought about all the posible choices she had and thought about them carefully until she found a way of doing something and feeling good with it.

And while she spoke... even when what she was saying was being really hard and maybe even painful for her, she was speaking with her head high and sounding still and confident on her speech. She was not speaking nosenses as anyone in her place would have; no, she was speaking things and giving all the reasons she based uppon to reach that opinion and decitions.

"I'm going to have it on my own and I'm not marrying any of you cause I'm pregnant now." She ended sentencing with her head high. "The child I'm going to give birth is going to have no father and two on the same time."

"Have you thought about your kid instead of yourself?" Takumi asked her all of sudden. "It's going to need a father."

"He is going to have me as uncle." Shin said faster than Isa could open her mouth to speak. "There'll be no need of a father, he or she is going to have an uncle that can be like a father to he or she."

"Shin, Shin." Isa said then placing her hand over his to call for his attention. "Allow me, please."

Shin then looked at her and nodded so she went back backwards.

"As you have checked, he or she is not going to have a dad, there's going to be wonderful uncle as Shin." She said. "Even if I am disinherited by my family be sure I could raise not just a baby but even three giving them all they could need." She added callengingly and serious. "The baby will have all he or she can need in all moment."

"And now we are joined, I would like to ask you for allowance to become Uncle Yasu." I added after some seconds of silence.

"Thanks Yasu." She said smiling.

"Can I also be Unclue Naoki?" He said after some seconds smiling mildly as if he had understood something to then behave again like a little child. "Please, please, please..."

"I don't know if she or he is going to need such a crazy headed uncle." Shin said making Isa relax a bit to smile.

"For sure." She said smiling. "All my friends can be his or her uncles and aunts. My baby will have the biggest family ever seen."

"Then... if you don't allow me to be the father... at least allow me to be Uncle Ren." Ren said softly and smiling weakly.

Isa then smiled wide and nodded.

"Ah, Hachi." She said all of sudden. "Do Takumi and you mind if Satsuki and my baby call themselves cousins?"

"That would be so great!!" She said cheerfully.

"I don't like the idea of our Satsuki being cousin of such a weird kid..." Takumi muttered for me while we smoked next to the open window.

(Nobu's voice)

I was more than confused and shocked on what Isa told us about her future and the one she was planning for her baby. She didn't want a father for her about comming child, she didn't thought it was needed.

The reasons she gave for such statement were reasonable; the baby would have more paternal figures that what could be thought, Shin, Yasu, Ren, Takumi... and also me; she had saved and would earn enough money for giving the baby all that would need and even more... She would handle with this all really well even if she would had have to done it alone.

She had a really clear mind and was sensible about the options she had. She seemed to have spent all the time since she was told about the final resoult on thinking about all the options and choosing the path she would follow, and even if it was not the usual, she would take it with her head high raised on confidence and pride.

And she was not just confident about what she chose, she was happy too.

I smiled while I saw her smiled surrounded by everyone but Takumi that kept himself a bit appart from all that, and me that was still a bit shocked.

I tried to offer to do things well this time and begin working at my parents' bussiness to earn enough money to bring up a child that could be mine, I was to offer to marry her so as to give the child a propper father and also because I thought I loved her and she rejected my proposal before even been done...

Anyway, when I saw her smiling and because I felt something like love towards her, I couldn't help but to smile wide too.

(Isa's voice)

"Isa, I was wondering... my landlord has hired my place so I'm going to be put out of it. I would return to the artist's rooms but... well, Mai is also there so..." Nobu said in a point of the night while Yasu, Shin, Ren and Takumi were at a room smoking with the window open.

"You want to come back my place?" I asked him thinking he wanted to ask me it and he didn't dared.

"Hum." He said nodding. "I'll pay for half of the house matters!" He added fast.

"Ok, ok." I said holding out my hands to show I wanted to protect myself from the rain of words he was about making. "You can came back, you didn't had to even ask about it." I said a bit surprised about his actitude about it all. "You know friends are always welcomed there. And you can stay as long as you want. Just tell also Shin, I rather he also agrees with it. It's both of us living there. Anyway... I don't think he has anything against it either."

"Sure, I... I'm sorry about Ren comming here and..." He said as if it had been his fault.

"But he ought to also know about it!!" Nana said. "Ren could bee also the father!"

"Never minds." I said then. "And she is right. We don't know if the baby was Ren or yours. You two oughted to be explained it all. I must gave an answer to both of you."

(Hachi's voice)

"Isa." I told her while we were cleaning the dishes from the dinner we were having there. "Do you... do you think that was the best choice?"

"What choice?" She asked. "Oh, I know... well, maybe the buns were not the top of the top, but where the only things we could have made out of the little food in the fridge."

"It's not that!" I said alarmed by her not realising on what I was trying to mean to then calm up immediately and sigh softly. "I meant... Ren and Nobu were about asking you to marry them, even if you loved both you could have chosed."

"The problem is I love you all too much, specially those two guys." She recognised softly. "I could not do anything hurting them. I would not be able to take myown happiness sacrifying Nobu or Ren's. And I would not be happier if I married either. I don't want to be home cooking for a man... I want, I NEED to live by myown means. That's why I stopped living England with my father and brother and came here. The only reason for me to got marry a man and stop working would be to bring my child up better. But I can do it myself."

"I can't understand why Nana or you had such a big pride..." I recognised. "I was happy when I heard about you becoming mother, but... if you are going to deny your child about the father..."

"I can't deny something I don't even know." She said then. "I have never know what a true father meant. Mine was always more bussy travelling from here to there, attending his bussiness despite of giving me his love. He provided me for the best education a woman can have, I had private instructors on everything you can think about since I was 3 years old and elder enough for begining my education as lady in the society."

(Nobu's voice)

"Nobu." Isa said while we were going back home at Yasu's car while Naoki went with Ren at his car and Takumi and Nana (Hachi) went on his car. "Would you really have dared to ask me to marry you if I had gave you the oportunity? I mean... we were not going out now, you were still in love with Mai so..."

"Yes." I nodded. "I would have asked you to marry you. Despite on what you can think, I think the baby needs a father. I wanted to be it."

"Then I did the best not allowing you to ask." She said smiling sadly. "I rather to bring the baby up with no father more than doing it with a husband that just married me on gentlemen manners and not by love."

"That's not so!" I said to then shut up as I realised on what I had said. "I mean... even if I don't love you, we are friends, it would not be the same that if you had married somebody else..."

"And would happend if it was Ren's kid?" She then asked me as if there were nobody else at the car. "Would you have brought up the kid of another man? Someone that would remember you on what the real father and I did long time ago?"

That made me go silent. She was being cruel, but it was the truth. If when the baby was born and some months passed it was resembling Ren more than me... would I have been able to bring the baby up knowing the real father was him?

"I would." Shin said. "I mean... if I loved the mother and the kid. I would not care who does it resemble to more, I would be the father and I would be the one bringing him or her up according to your and mine values."

She then hugged him too closely. I was begining to feel a bit jealous on Shin, cause she treated him more nicely than anyone else in the whole group of her friends.

"I would have found the way of bringing you and the kid up, did you knew?" I asked her while we walked through the corridor towards her house while Shin and Yasu went to buy some more grape fruits and juices for her.

"I knew." She said. "That's why I chosed this. I don't want you to stop your dreams of becoming a famous musician with Yasu, Shin and Blast. I'll be fine being a single mother, uncle Nobu." She said unlocking the door and getting in the house to be nearly made fell by her two monsters. "By the way, have you seen the baby?" She asked while patting and caressing the two dogs' heads.

"No." I said. "Are there any photos?"

"The envelope at my side-table." She said then. "I've still not had the strength to have a look."

"And do you know what it is going to be?" I asked walking towards her bedroom to pick the envelope she was speaking about to take the photos and have a better look at them. "Just for stop that of 'He or she bla, bla, bla'. It's bothering."

"I don't know yet." She said while we heard the keys turning at the key hole again. "I've just decided what to do. Next time I go to the doctor I'll ask her to begin gathering things for the kid."

That made me smile sadly, she certainly loved us all. And she would love also the baby she was to have. That baby would be brought up as a prince or princess just by one person's work and salary.

(Hachi's voice)

"I think her choice was hardly irresponsible." Takumi said while he drove back home with great care. "Bringing up a child alone is something really hard, specially when you are a lady. And has she not thought on what press will say about it?"

"I'm worried about her." I recognised. "But I also admire her... she seems to dare to do what I couldn't. And have you seen how she's dealt with the father problem?"

"She dealt well, but I'm affraid Ren will suicide if she tries to separate the baby from him." Takumi said sighing. "And then it will mean problems to find a new bassist for us. Not to say all the press problems it will mean too."

"You are so cold!!" I nearly shouted at him. "You should care about Ren at least and not the press and your fame!!"

(Takumi's voice)

"I'm worried about my wife." I said when I went back to the agency to begin dealing with some technical music arragements on our last two songs. "She is begining to admire that crazy woman."

"So... it's true, Ren is going to be father." Narita asked me.

"Yes but no." I said. "Nobody knows who the father is, it could be Ren or Nobu's kid. And she has decided she will give birth and bring up her child on her own, no father but a lot of uncles and aunts. Ha, can you imagine she has named me Uncle Takumi? She is not my sister and will never be..."

"And how has Ren taken it?" Narita asked me.

"I don't care." I said. "He should have made her marry him before that Nobu were able to do it."

"So she is marrying Nobu." Narita asked me.

"No! She is not marrying anyone!" I said nearly breaking the mug of coffee I had with me. "She is stubborn as a donkey! Such a crazy headed!! And the worse is my wife is begining to look up at her and I'm affraid she could end up on the wrong direction too!!"

"Well, she is certainly going to have problems with press." Narita recognised a bit ashamed on me. "But anyway, that's her choice. She must have had to think a lot about it to end up choosing such a crazy option."

"No, she must have not thought deep about it." I said hitting the table again. "By heavens shake... I already told Ren not to get mixed with her, she is from our rival band..."

Then someone knocked on the door and Ren came in the room.

"Ah, sorry Takumi. I was looking for Narita, but I see you two are bussy right now." He said.

"NO, no." Narita said then. "I'm comming, shall we met other room?"

"Hum." Ren said softly to get out of the room.

"Takumi, don't think more about it." Narita suggested me before leaving.

(Ren's voice)

"And so... I don't know what to do." I confessed Narita. "I've tried to even ask her to marry me, but she said the baby just needs a mother and a home full of love."

"Takumi told me the same." Narita told me bitting the end of his finger tips. "And I also think she should marry any of you. If she is famous as she is, that would be no good for her public face, and she can't be mother with press not knowing of it."

"Yes." I said agreeding. "Because of that and because I wanted to help her, I decided to ask her to marry me; but she turned both Nobu and me down. Now... I don't know what to do... if the kid looks like me..."

"You should speak with her." Narita suggested me. "Speak about that and tell her you will be also put into troubles if the kid resembles to you."

"I don't mind having a bit of problems for that." I said. "I just don't want them to have problems with it. I mean the future baby and her."

"But maybe it was not yours." He told me. "Maybe it was that guy's one."

"I don't think so." I shook my head. "Nobu is really a correct guy, he would never do it without taking precautions as me. It must be mine."

"But mistakes with can happend." He told me. "Anyway, it's not much use to get worried for that now. How many months does the fetum have?"

"She said 4." I said.

Then Narita appeared to go shocked and nervous.

"Four months... she should be showing it already... she is not much different from always..." He began saying as babbling.

"Really?" I asked sitting back up nervous and worried. "She has to eat propely now she is pregnant!! I'll go and make her eat properly."


	46. Chapter 51

**EPISODE 51****: THE GOOD NEWS. WHO IS THE FATHER?**

(Isa's voice)

"Ehem." My doctor said when she saw the guys getting in the room with me. "May I ask who are those three men doing here?"

"Madam, this is my cousin Shin and they are Nobu and Ren." I said softly. "I've tried to make them wait at the waiting room but it seems they couldn't wait."

"I want to see my kid." Ren said.

"Hey, it could also be mine." Nobu said.

Then I slapped both back of the necks to make both stop arguing.

"Stop that." I said. "I already said no father is need."

"Please, Madam..." Shin said doing a sexy appealing face. "I need to see my nephew." He added kissing my belly and caressing it.

"Shin!!" I said ambarrashed to him.

"I shouldn't allow this, but..." The doctor said to the point with her hands softly to the seats. "In normal cases it would not be allowed, but as this is rare conditions and it happends I know the patien since she was born... I supose we could do a little exception for this time. Just this time." She added looking to the guys.

"Sure, mistress." The three of them said.

"Thank you madam." Nobu added politely.

"Isa..." She then to me sighing. "If your mother was still alive... what would that saint say about this? I would have never guessed you would come to me under this circunstances... But first of all, what is your decition?"

"I'm keeping my baby." I said. "I'm becoming a single mother."

"Brave and dare as always." She told me noting down some data on a new paper sheet. "I knew you would keep it. You have your mother's maternal instict. Now... let's have a look at that baby. Want to know the sex of the baby?"

"Yes!" All of us said making her laugh.

"If it's possible, I would like to know it." I said going pink on embarrashment of the three of us behaving as children.

"Ok, this way. I'm affraid you guys will have to wait outside." She said holding out her hand to prevent them getting in the next room where I went into.

"I'll tell you guys later." I said smiling.

"Ok, let's see how the baby is..." My doctor said smiling mildly to me while she made me lay down at the stretcher to beging making me the tests.

(Ren's voice)

The waiting time looked as centuries while Isa and the doctor were in the other room I would have smoked about two to four cigs on a row but as we were on a hospital I didn't anyway, I didn'd stopped fidgetting with my locket pendant in all the time.

"Guys, please relax." Shin said also fidgetting with his bracelets. "Being nervous guide us to nowhere."

"You are also nervous." Nobu said.

"How long does it take to do those tests?" I said nervous.

"Who knows?" Shin said. "It looks like ages..."

All of sudden, when I stood up to begin walking from here to there and Nobu did the same, the doctor came in the room.

"How is her?" All of us asked at once nearly surrounding the woman. "How is the baby? Is it fine?"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen. Please." The doctor said. "It's been just rutinary checkings and tests. Of course they are both fine. I just came to ask you if you would like to see the baby."

"Has it gone out?!" I asked shocked.

"No, no." She said nearly laughing. "We are not on medieval times, nowdays we can see the babies before they are born with simple echographies. So?"

"I want to see it." Shin said fast.

"Hey, if someone must see it is me." Nobu said.

"Noway, I'm the father." I said.

"Guys!" Isa said from inside the room. "Please, drop that at once!"

"Oh, my..." The doctor said. "I allow you to get in there and see the baby if you swear to be quiet and calm, right?"

"Yep." I said.

"Yes." Nobu agreed.

(Nobu's voice)

"It's there!" I said pointing to the screen where we could see.

"Wow, the head is too big..." Ren said. "Madam, are you sure it's fine it has..."

"Hey, you promised not to bully her." Isa told us. "And yes, it's fine."

"It's normal the father shows such a great interest on the to-come-baby." The doctor said smiling. "And she is right. The fetum is still forming so the head can be a bit too large to common eyes. About the sex... we can know it from the 13th or 14th week, as she is now on her 15th week we can already say it."

"And what is it?" Both Ren and I said.

Then Isa and the doctor began smiling as if they were to laugh.

"It's going to be a guy." The doctor said smiling when Isa nodded. "And appart of the little problems his mother has had recently, he seems will be healty."

A guy! It was really good news. I was more than happy the baby was well and it was a guy.

"Congratulations Isa." I then said. "You will have a little you."

She then smiled wide while the doctor kept on moving the tool she was moving at her belly to show us the baby.

"By the way, I have already told her, but considering her health problems lately I have advised her about the vitamines needed during this months. She is going to have vitamine A, B, C, D, E and K; plus Potasium. So she is going to have a diet based on butter, yolks, greasy fish, pork, complet or enchiced cereals, citrics, green peper, cabadge, tomato, milk, vegetals, milk, liver, eggs, cheese, abocate, corn, soy, aspargus, strawberries, spinach, tomato, apple, brocoli, lettuce, cereals and meat. And this time don't allow her to skip the grease of meat, please."

"Tell then that doesn't mean to make me eat greasy things either." Isa said.

"I hope they can make out what I mean." The doctor told her.

"I'm taking care on her taking all that." Shin said. "I live with her."

"Yes, she has... tell me about the weird circunstances on her new life." The doctor told us. "Ah, and please, do not allow her to go any more skinny. Not she has to become at the same corporal volume nor she has to eat for two. She has to eat just normal but taking some care on what she eats, right?"

"Right." The three of us said.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

(Shin's voice)

While Isa drove me back our home, Ren took Nobu.

"Isa, are you sure on what you are doing?" I asked her. "I mean... how do you plan to speak about this with press? They are not going to let the chance of announcing you are pregnant and you don't know who go away."

"They will." She answered me. "We have a contract about that, they can't publish anything about me without my permission first."

"But they would end up finding up the only choices known for being the father of the baby are Ren and Nobu, and they could writte an article about them."

"Yeah, 'Fighting for being father'. What a great article." She said as mocking on it. "The truth is I must admit they would feel attracted by that... they enjoy making famous people's lifes hell." She added more serious. "Anyway, I doubt not Ren nor Nobu would speak about it."

(Ren's voice)

"What are we going to do now?" I asked Nobu. "She said her son will need no father."

"I don't know you, but I'm staying her side, so I pretend to take care of her even if she doesn't want it." He answered me a bit bitterly.

"I also intend to be by her side even if she doesn't want." I said frowning. "And do not even suggest I would not."

"Sure, but you are not living with her." He said. "And it could be my child."

"Or mine." I said.

If he thought I would miss the chance of being father of my own daughter, moreover a guy, he was really mistaken.

There was a few seconds of silence and then I sighed. If I wanted to see the mother of what could be my son happy and relaxed until the baby was born, I would have to put something of my part.

"Look Nobu." I said. "We were good friends for ages. What made us come this appart?"

"You betrayed us on first matter, then you hurt Nana and now, you have tried to denny me what could also be mine." He said. "I promised myself to forgive you for the previous two, but now I can't."

"Was it betrayal to try and look for fame myself?!" I said angry. "And Nana being hurt was not my problem! I loved her but she was just too pride!! And about Isa... HER SON COULD ALSO BE MY SON!! Do you really think I'm going to hand it all to you?!"

Then the silence came again. This time thicker and more tense than before. It would be nearly imposible to try and chat reasonably with him.

(Isa's voice)

"Campai!" I said tossing with the rest of guys at my flat.

"Congratulations for your son." Yasu said smiling and holding Miu's hand.

"Thanks." I said smiling to then realise that Nobu had hung the photo of the baby in my stomach as if was part of a picture in the hall. "Oh, please, Nobu!!" I said. "Do not put those there as if they were art!"

"Why not?" He said. "I'm pround of showing the baby around."

He was obviuosly a bit drunk again.

"She is right." Miu said going to pick them up. "Those are not art."

"You should keep them on a photo album." Yasu said taking a cig to get another room to light it and smoke it.

"Please, it has been more than enough to have to go to a photocopying shoop to make photocopies of them to give some Ren and some him." I said covering my face. "Even if they were the fathers they could not be more pride of the baby..."

"It's normal." Miu said then. "Men are honoured by the birth of their first son, the heir to their family."

"And they will also do whatever needed for bringing them up." Yasu said. "Both of them."

"Hey Miu." Shin said jumping next to her carrying the stolen photos from Nobu. "Have you seen my future nephew? He is this precious thing over here."

I then smiled. I would have never expected Shin to behave that excited about the baby I was carrying at my stomach. If I had any doubt about the future, they were erased at that same moment.

(Nobu's voice)

"Isa." I said about midnight. "Take the last of your grapefruit juice and go bed, please. You need to get some more rest."

"Ah, yes." She told me. "Tomorrow I have to perform some more scenes, and I have to begin thinking about how to tell the director about the news..."

"He is going to kick you, did you know?" Miu said. "A pregnat acress can't act the same as a fit one."

"I'll then do my best." Isa told her then. "Believe me, I will do my best."

"If you do such, then our son will have problems." I said.

"My son will have no problems." She said then looking stright to me. "I'll do the best for keeping my word to end acting and then I'll also do the best for the boy." She added ending the juice and taking the three vitamine pills she was asked to have each eight hours (12pm. 8 am and 4pm). "Excuse me for leaving, I'll have to wake up early tomorrow so I'll have problems if I'm not on my best for tomorrow morning."

"NIght." All of them said.

Then I saw her leaving for the toilet and moments later we could hear how the toilet water ran at there and some water falling on the sink and some splashes showing she was washing her face and brushing her teeth while in the livingroom we chatted about other things.

"Good night." She said when she went out of the bathroom to then after we answered her, heading to the bedroom and leaving the door half open for the dogs to move freely in and out.

"When the baby is born I will ask her to put those two out of here." I then said.

"She is not going to put them out." Shin told me. "They are as her children too. Furthermore, she has always said they are well trained and all that."

"But they keep on running away when anyone take them out for a walk." I said. "And they threaten to bite people."

"Because she trained them to bite press members and on her commands." Shin said. "Those two are trained to protect their 'mother' and her family whatever it cost them. Long."

(Yasu's voice)

"Hey, Nobu, Shin, take care of her, ok?" I asked both while Miu and I put on our coats half an hour later to get going to the hostel.

"Nobu, stop bulling her about the 'our son, my son' thing, please." Miu told him. "She is going to go through a lot of new things. Changes that will make her begin acting weird."

"She is going to go through emotional changes in fact of seconds." I said then. "And also the morning disease and... what I meant is that she is going to begin acting weirdest than ever and even if she doesn't ask for help, all of us have to give her a hand. So as you two are living with her, you will have to keep an eye more. And please, stop fighting with Ren about who is the father and who deserves it or things like that." I said tired about how those two were bothering everyone with their fight for being the perfect father and husband. Ren moaning to me about that, Nobu also moaning at us... it was tireing. "And as she said, she needs no husband or father for the kid."

"Yes..." Nobu said as the child who is getting a told of by his father.

"Just take care of her this weeks, please." Miu said before we left. "Do you think they will be fine?"

"I hope so." I said opening the door of my car to let her in it. "I'm worried about them. She is stubborn, but she is not a bad woman and nor are Ren or Nobu. She thinks she is doing the best for both her son and she; I just hope she isn't mistaken..."


	47. Chapter 52

**EPISODE 52****: ENDING THE WORK. I'M PAYING FOR ALL IN THE BABY'S LIFE.**

(Isa's voice)

"Isa! Your pills!" Shin said then.

"You don't lose your time, do you?" I asked him. "I bet you were controlling the time to call me on the very accurate second."

I was on my 6th month of pregnancy now and my abdomen was now a bit too bumpy so as to keep on appearing slim on cameras, lukily for me, that was the last day I had to record anything and it was with baggy clothes that would cover the bump easily.

"Are you sad about having to leave the film?" Shin asked me.

"No." I said. "I'm going to miss jumping up and down a bit, but lukily the director was friend of me and had no problem on recording my scenes first and then the rest of the people's ones.And if something has to be repeated then he is going to call me after me giving birth so I'll have still a bit of time to go back into my strengths."

"Speaking about giving birth..." He told me. "Have you thought about Ren and Nobu's proposals?"

"I keep on saying I'm not marrying any of them for this." I said a bit tired of having to repeat it so many times. "And about the hospital... I said it had to be at the same than for my operation; St. Luke's International Hospital."

"Yeah, the luxurious one." Shin told me. "But Ren and Nobu wanted other ones..."

"And?" I said. "I've got enough money to pay for it. Anyway, if you want to wait, I'm ending recording at nearly midnight so after that I can drive you home too."

"Ah, ok." He told me. "But... I thought you were ending before."

"Well, it's been a little problem with some shoots done in the night so we have to repeat them and I supose they will delete my abdomen a bit with digital technics."

"I'm the one being in the hospital and not them." I said. "I'm paying for it so I choose."

"Sure, sure." Shin told me. "But..."

"Shin, it's the best hospital of the city, one of the best in the world." I said. "I want it to be my hospital."

(Shin's voice)

I was waiting for Isa to end recording the last day of her role in the film before she gave birth to her son when my phone rang and Yasu arrived all on the same moment.

"Yes?" I answered to the phone while I waved at Yasu.

"Shin, where are you?" Nobu said. "We were waiting for you!"

"I'm still at the film scenary." I answered him. "Isa is still recording and seems she will not end until midnight or so casue they have to re-record some night scenes."

"But she is nearly on the end her 6th month!" He told me frightened.

"Tell her not to keep on risking her neck and our children so much!" I heard Ren saying after stealing Nobu's phone.

"I tell you the same." Nobu said getting it back. "She should be taking things easy, not jumping from here to there and fighting on a film role!!"

"You know her." I said. "She is not dropping it. It's her last day here. After today it will be just resting a bit. She said tomorrow she is sleeping until midday or longer."

"Hand it to me." Yasu asked me moving his hand to ask me for the phone and stepping his cig off. "Hey, stop bothering Shin. We will take her back home as soon as she ends. It's her last day so at least allow her to enjoy it."

"Fine." They said before hanging down the phone.

"I supose we will have to postpone the party for tomorrow, then." Yasu said sighing. "How has she been?"

"Fine, she fell down but she was hold before she could even touch the floor. And she has been sick twice, that makes film go slowlier. Anyway, the director seems thrilled on her performing."

(Isa's voice)

"Man! I'm exhausted!!" I said when I was allowed to go to my changing room and be back myself so also removing all the make up and getting into my baggy clothes I now was made to wear. All made for me by some of my favourite designers such as Prada, Channel, Dior, Vuitton, Valentino, Vesacce, Ivves Saint Laurentm, Jean Paul Gaultier or Vivvian Westwood. All made specially for me and the months still ahead. I had changed my wardrobe into the mode they sent me according to my meassurements and the ones they guessed I would have on the months remaining. And I was begging to get some presents from them too translated into baby mode and accesories I was begining to treasure on the baby's room I was begining to do.

"What's that?" Yasu asked me when I went out and met him with Shin that was nearly sleeping now.

"This? A present from Jean Paul Gaultier." I said showing him the beautiful suit with a turn around on the same spot. "Do you like it? He made specially for me."

"I think you have too much good contacts." He said moving Shin to wake him up. "As Ren said, you are beggining to look as a really yakuza tycoon."

"Oh, please..." I said. "I'm not such. I keep being the same as always."

"Humm... there are some facts that still have not been found explanation." He said.

"As why do you keep on being such an sexy and appealing woman even being pregnant!" Shin said handing me a little bottle of juice he had been kept all the time with him.

"I meant more the fact that nothing of this has appeared on press." Yasu said.

"You know the treat we did with them." I said taking a long gulp of juice. "They just can't publish a word about me or Shin without my allowance first. Of course they have tried, but I have not allowed them because they called too much attention over the fact of no father know for the kid."

"You are not going to be able to keep on with that in the moment it's born, did you know?" Shin said.

"Of course, I'm planning on allowing something, but I want them to hide the fact of the father matter." I assured sitting on the front of my car.

"Isa, you should allow me to drive you." Yasu said. "You look tired."

"And you have to drive your car." I said. "I can drive slowly back home."

"If you want..." Shin said.

"No Shin, you can't drive." I said then. "And I'm not going to allow you to put anyone in trouble again. I'll also ask Nobu to watch up what he does, if he puts himself into the public eye you know what they will ask me to exchange it for."

"Yes, the baby." Yasu told me.

"If they asked for that... I would not save Nobu." I said serious. "And I would feel really sorry about it. Because I would have allowed a friend to be public murdered; anyway..."

(Yasu's voice)

"Watch out on what you two do because she said she is not going to sacrify her baby for anyone." I told both Nobu and Ren. "And that goes specially for you Ren. You tend to be the most crazy of the two of you."

"Why do you say so?" Ren asked shocked. "I'm going to prove I'm a good father."

"A good father doesn't get kicked from a country due to drug posetion." Nobu said verbal attacking him as if it was something normal to say.

"And a good father trusts the mother and doesn't drop her just because of some rumours." Ren contra-attacked him.

"Hey, if you want her not to put you two out of her life and the one of the baby, then stop arguing for that." I told them.

Sometimes I thought I was like their father, taking care of both, telling then what to do and what not... I was begining to go a bit tired of that.

We were now at her flat and Nobu ran to be there for welcoming us when we arrived, anyway, I arrived first, thanks god because those two would have killed themselves for being father once in their lives and then we heard the keys at the keyhole and the two dogs ran to the door to welcome their 'mother' and Shin.

"Hello, we're back." Shin said.

"Shin, I think they know." Isa said patting her babies' heads softly. "Hello, sorry if I stay not much awake but I got an exhausting day today."

"Why don't you then get a bath and then we wait, then you come out, speak a bit and then you go bed and tomorrow we speak?" Ren said.

"And have some dinner too." Nobu said while she went towards her bedroom with the dogs following her. "You are a bit thin."

"Oh, sure..." She said jocking. "You want me to go like a sea elephant so a rich man would never marry me, isn't it? I must advise you I still have the chance of becoming Madam 'something'. I keep having friends on the high spheres that would give anything to marry such a wonderful woman like me."

"I can't see you as a tycoon wife." Ren told her.

"Nor do I, but it seems she can." Nobu said. "Isa!! You can't marry a tycoon while you are expecting a baby from one of us!!"

"I'm not marrying, unless O.B. or Prince William ask me to marry them." She said joking and putting her head at the living-room carrying a bath gown extra-large. "They would be really cutte man to show off with me; and they are not poor either."

"She must be joking..." Nobu said white as a sheet while we heard the bathroom door closing behind her.

"Well... she certainly knows them..." Ren said also white.

Then I smiled. She was not certainly the girl to marry anyone for money or status. But she would not marry either to a poor man, her father would make her life into hell if she did such thing. Anyway, not Nobu nor Ren were poor either, they were not tycoons but they had money enough to provide of a good life and education to their children the day they would have them.

"What do you think she is going to do?" Nobu said. "I mean... do you think she will finally marry Ren or me?"

"I think she is going to have it single and she will make the life of her child easy and good." I said. "And she is free to do it if she wants. What I don't know is where is she going to get all that money if not working hard."

"I can tell you; I think I can make out." Shin said getting a glass of something hidden from her and sitting in front of us and then look to our eyes. "She has not told anyone, but I as family, know a bit more about her than what she thinks I know."

"You what?" Ren asked confused.

"Isa has extra-money a year thanks to some... belongings she has." Shin said.

All of sudden a bell rang in my head. She was a tycoon daughter, she had great contacts... what if those contacts where not just because of her family but also for herown bussiness?

"Is it so?" I asked him. "Does she really have such things?"

"Yes, of course." Shin said. "Yet I don't know it exactly."

"Are you suggesting that..." Nobu said.

"Think about it." Shin said. "We get all fixed back at England in such little time, we got the best interviews there, she has managed to make press here silent about her life... and she payed for Ren's fee to put him out of jail back in London, covering it as if a big firm was the one paying for it."

"What did you said?" Ren said.

True, he didn't knew it. She payed for the fee to make him leave soon and do not throw more dung over both bands' names and the one of her father's hotel either. I put off the cig and opened the window to let some fresh air clean the smoke in the air.

"Do not spread rumours you don't know if they are true." I told Shin.

"But she payed for the fee!" Shin said.

"It could have been so as not to cover Blast or Okanzaki family's name on dung." I told him. "You can't know what she did it for unless you were on her mind then and you saw what she was thinking about when she did it. Anyway... it was a bit weird she collected that amount of money so as to huss up the press about her family and also paying his fee in such little time."

"And what are you suggesting?" Nobu said. "That she's got secret money incomes other than our music?"

"Maybe." Shin said.

"Then it's true..." Ren said scared as Nobu. "She is a yakuza..."

"OF COURSE SHE IS NOT!!" Shin and Nobu said at once.

(Isa's voice)

I was ending having my bath when I heard someone shouting on the livingroom.

"OF COURSE SHE IS NOT!!" Shin and Nobu said at once.

"Man, they are being boisterous as always..." I muttered touching my belly.

"Don't worry, babe." I told it then smiling softly. "Uncles Shin, Nobu and Ren can be a bit boisterous some times. But they are nice people."

Then I felt a little bumping in my belly and smiled. It was not on purpuse, I had read babies moved on unwanted fast movements due to farts and also de begining of the cerebral activities. Anyway, it looked as if he had hit me to show me he had heard me.

As soon as I emptied the tube a bit to refill it with hotter water and the foam laying of four fingers thickness was formed again, I heard some hits on the door.

"Can I get in?" Shin said. "I need to pee."

"Sure, come in." I said.

He then ran to the toilet after locking the door again. I heard him peeing there.

"DO you feel better now you are there?" He asked me.

"Yes, it's relaxing to stay here." I agreed. "By the way, did you knew our little angel has kicked me to show me he heard me?"

"Really?" He said surpriesed.

"Yep, if you give me your hand..." I said.

He then flew to me and handed me his hand I held softly and laid at my belly to let him feel another kick from the baby inside me while I told the baby Uncle Shin was there, and making him let out a cheerful mini-shout.

"So cutte!!" He said. "Hey, babe. When you go out you are going to see how Uncle Shin managed to get you the biggest and most beautiful pram in all the shops from here to Kanto."

I then smiled. He was certainly going to be like a father for my son, and so would be Yasu, Nobu, Ren... even Naoki would be; no, he would be maybe as an elder brother for him, such a funny brainless guy...

"Isa, how do you plan to pay for everything in both your son and your lifes?" Shin asked me a bit worried as he mixed the water in the tube slowly.

"I've got certain money saved up for my future." I recognised. "I'm sure it will be more than enough for paying for things for him until he begins working."

"But... maybe you should accept some of the help we offer you." He said. "Nobu and Ren would pay for half of the things if not nearly all of them; and I could help you with..."

"Shin, Shin." I said stopping him. "I can pay for that. What I can't give my son is a family. My father, my brother and I... well, we don't think the same and we don't get along too well yet we love eachother; my son is going to need a family, I want him to have a good family."

That seemed to make him sad.

"Then you will go far from us..." He said.

"Who said such?" I asked confused.

"You have said you wanted a good family; how good can a uncle be with my past? How good can an uncle be if he takes drugs or lives life as Ren does? How good a uncle can be if he is so childish and... well, like Nobu?"

"But that's the family I want for my son. You all love him even when it's still not born." I said smiling softly and wetting his face with my face as I caressed his cheek. "He will learn what is good and what it's not on the school and you all will teach him too. I don't need another guy as my brother, I want a boy that is happy, even if he is happy with such things as living life on a dangerous way as long as he doesn't become hooked to drugs or becomes a 'casanova' as some of his new uncles. He is going to have me to take care of him and giving him the best education posible here. His mother loves his uncles, why shouldn't him too?"

That seemed to make Shin happy and I smiled even wider.

"By the way, tomorrow I have managed to settle a party here with all our friends." Shin said. "Do you mind?"

"Sure I don't care!" I said fast. "This is going to be fun! Who have you invited?"

"Oh, everyone, you will see." He said smiling. "If you don't mind, we will celebrate it here because it's bigger than the flat 707."

"Ah, sure." I said. "But after the party remember to help cleaning, right? I'm going to be a bit down from now on."

"I'm not going to allow you do cleaning up. It would be enough if you cook." He said as if he was offended by my words. "You heard the doctor, didn't you? You must rest more than until now. So no heavy work for you."

That made me smile.

(Ren's voice)

I had fallen asleep at the table where we were chatting when Shin left for the toilet; anyway, it was a really late when Yasu waked me up.

"Hey, if you are so tired get to bed." He told me. "And when are you going to go back your home? Your manager will kill your caretaker if you keep on making him come here to look for you so many times on a row in a week."

"I want to help here." I said rubbing my face.

Then I noticed Shin was missing while Nobu outstretched just awakened too next to me.

"If you are going to behave as the fathers then you should begin acting as one." Yasu told us off.

"Where is her?" Nobu asked.

"Shin is with her at her bedroom." Yasu then told us. "She had the bath, came out, ate a bit of food to have her medecine and then left for the bed. She must be nearly asleept now even when it's just some minutes she left."

"I think I'll go bed then." Nobu said. "Tomorrow we have to get this ready for the party... By the way, did you told her about it?"

"Shin told her and she is through with it." Yasu said looking for something at Isa's laptop. "I hope you guys don't disturb her too much when she gets to bed tomorrow. She must be exhausted after the days she had lately."

"Fine, fine." I said. "We will not bother mum."

"Who are you calling that?" Nobu said a bit botered.

"And please, stop fighting for such things." Yasu said. "If you are taking it better, think both of you are the father."

"That's biological impossible." I told him when Nobu left for his bedroom. "You knew?"

"Yes, but eventhough, as she is not chosing a father and you can't help fighting for that, then the best chose is you two think you are both the father." Yasu told me. "Geez... no clue about this..."

"What are you looking for?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He said as if it was nothing important. "I was looking at the companies options of purchasing before leaving too."

"Why?" I asked him. "Are you interested on getting some participation on one?"

"I had some curiousity about it." He said.

"If you are thinking on investing your money on a company then try Durex." I told him joking as I stood up to get to the guests room. "Even when you don't use them too much they are getting pretty much veneficts a year."

That seemed to make him go angry at me while I closed the door behind me smiling in fun.

Yasu and his serious mind; and now he was interested on economy.

(Yasu's voice)

As soon as I left the house, I caught a taxi that took me back my flat. And back there, as I had nothing else better to do, I began having a better look on the whole thing about my suspects.

Our friend Isa said she could pay for all in her to-be-born-son's life, and that would not be cheap, specially for a single mother like her. That makes me suspect that she has some extra money, what in fact would explain all the weird things that we all let pass unnoticed or as casualities before. Like when we got things so easily and fast, or why the press back in England chosed to show us off even when it was the first time we were there and Trapnest had gone there more times and had already began merchandising there.

Anyway, all search proved to be useless; if she was a tycoon there was no prove of it hiden on the net; and if she was not... where did she planed to get the money from?

Not her family, of course; she would never ask her father or brother for help. And her singer money would not be enough for keeping herself and the baby with too much luxury... The should be another source of incomes.

Morning arrive and he fell asleep on the computer with no prove of her being related to anything else than her family bussiness.


	48. Chapter 53

**EPISODE 53: ****SURPRISE. A TROUBLESOME PARTY.**

(Yasu's voice)

Ding-Dong... Ding-Dong... Ding...Dong.

"Coming." I said after waking up from the table to get to the door and open it to see Naoki and Reira were there.

"Hello!" He said raising a hand cheerfully.

"Wow... how is you are still not ready for the party? Weren't you invited?" Reira said confused.

"I was invited." I said. "But I worked till late yesterday night and I've over-slept today."

"C'mon!" He then said. "Get ready! You have to see what Ren said he would do tonight!!"

Then I went frozen.

"What is he doing tonight?" I asked afraid on him doing something fool again.

"Ah... you'll see." Reira said smiling fairy like and winking. "It's a secret; but it's so romantic!!"

(Shin's voice)

"Isa!" I called her when I saw her arriving back home with her dogs and some heavy looking bags hanging from her hands. "Do not do that!"

"You can't carry heavy things!!" Nobu added removing all the bags from her and being bitten on his trousers by Nero or Lucius (we've never found out who is who).

"Nero, sit!" She commanded him. "Of course I can carry things. And I just took the chance of walking my babies around to go shopping some extra things for tonight."

"Are you staying awake then?" I asked her.

"She should rest." Nobu added. "She is on her 7th month of pregnancy, she should rest more."

"I'm on my 6th, and I'm not an old lady." Isa complaint releasing her dogs. "I must do some exercise every day."

"Well, walking those two is exercise." I said. "They run, and jump... and they also try to pull from you along all the way in the park."

"They just do that with you because you don't know how to treat them." She argued. "Anyway... I'll change into something else and I'll come out to help you."

"No way!!" Both Nobu and I said at once making her look at us first confused and all of sudden burst into laughing.

I missed the times I saw her laughing wide, when she was happy with Nobu; the times when she was still not ill from the lungs, or pregnant from either Nobu or Ren... the times before press threw that dung about her being with lot of men...

"If you want... maybe you could help us decorating the room a bit." I then told her. "But promise to allow us men dealing with the heavy stuff. You would shrink your robes."

"Hum, sure." She agreed. "I'll first help and then I'll change my robes then."

(Ren's voice)

"Ren, that's fool." Takumi said when I joined him and Hachi at the door. "You must not do that."

"This is not going to be public." I told him. "And this is my business."

"Why?" Hachi asked us. "What're you going to do?"

She didn't know it yet either. I suppose Takumi didn't tell her; he never tells her anything about us.

"I'm..." I began saying.

"Don't you realise on the effect it will have over the media?!" He shouted at me.

"Shut up, this is not a common building." I advised him. "If you keep on like that the security man will kick you out."

"I don't...!" He said to the control himself a bit but kept on throwing out rage at his words. "I don't care if I'm kicked out of this fucking place. You can't do it... think about how media could take it. Don't you mind on what can happen to us?"

"Us, you have never cared about it." I told him. "I play for us, I have done all for us. Do not ask me not to do what I think will be..."

"Then think about the child." Takumi said. "It could be your son. Don't you care about how he will grow up if he is bullied by media?"

"It's him who I'm thinking about!" I said angry but keeping my voice under control. "I want him to grow up like a normal child, with a wonderful mother and a father. I don't want Isa to play both mother and father roles. She would be hard to do it all by herself."

"She is not going to be alone." Hachi said taking it to heart. "She is going to have all of our support! Shin and Yasu are going to help her every single day! And also Nobu! I'm also going to help her the most I can!!"

"You already have a family to take care of, don't you remember?" Takumi said holding her arm tighter while we reached the door of her flat.

"I'm not going to leave you alone." Hachi said while she ran on the door bell twice to call for them to open the door for us. "But she is going to need help too. And you work too hard lately."

"Hachi!!" Shin said hugging her as soon as he opened the door. "I'm so happy you managed to come too!!"

"Hey Shin." I told him. "Stop it and allow us in, please."

"Hum, yes." He said looking at Takumi too that just did a hello sign before going to the sofa and sitting there. "So, you managed to find a babysitter for our little princess."

"Ah, yes." Hachi nodded. "Satsuki is being looked after by a woman Takumi paid for her taking care of her."

"Did you doubt we could?" He asked Isa.

"No, of course not." She said. "I know you have money to pay for it. I just asked for knowing."

"Sure." Takumi said.

"Hey, how is your morning disease?" I asked Isa going next to her.

"I've had not it since days ago." She said raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you don't remember it."

"I wanted to know if you had been feeling right… today." I said.

Then she rubbed my hair messing it and smiling.

"I'm a tough lash." She said smiling. "Be sure I'll be fine."

"Ha." Takumi said. "You got pregnant and you don't know who the father is."

That was the drop that made the cup overflow; Shin, Nobu and even Hachi and Reira began shouting things at him (Nobu and Shin) and telling him off (Hachi and Reira) while Isa frowned deeply.

"Nero, Lucius, sit!! Guys!" She shouted to make everyone silent; when she managed it she looked hard at Takumi. "By heavens' shake, this bad karma is awful for pregnant women. And Takumi, if you are not going to keep your tongue tied to avoid this bad atmosphere I would gently ask you to leave and allow us to have a calmed party, please."

She was trying to sound still and calm, but the truth was she seemed about to give off fire through her eyes.

"I was just telling truths." Takumi said raising his hands.

"I would rather you not to say such 'rude and painful' truths, please." She said still sounding polite but cold while she stood still. "Nero, Lucius, I said sit!" She said looking to the place where the dogs kept on standing at their feet snarling at the situation. "Do not make me repeat it."

Then both dogs sat down still looking at Takumi.

"Man, those two are really terrifying…" Naoki said coming out from his hideout behind Yasu.

"Sure, with such bodyguards she would need no human ones." I said. "They would rip a piece of human flesh from its owner if Isa was menaced."

"They are not so evil." Nobu said. "Are they?"

"She would never allow them to bite anyone." Shin said. "But I'm sure they would."

(Isa's voice)

After being at the kitchen ending cooking some dinner for all and getting my babies' meal ready too, I went out of the kitchen carrying their meal a dish on each hand waitress-like while I asked the guys to help with the rest.

"Here my poor guys…" I said as if they were puppies or little children. "Mammy loves you, my boys…" I added rubbing their heads smiling and asking them for a kiss while I served them their meals.

Sasameyuki was a different one, she ate with us; and with it I mean, she just eats when asking us for meal while we had meals.

"Isa, if you keep on with that they will grow up as little 'apple of mammy's eye' things." Shin said.

"Why so?" Ren asked getting next to them carrying their water bowl filled with fresh water again and then patting their sides softly. "They are her big and fat sons."

"They bite." Takumi said. "That's dangerous."

"They just try to bite you." I pointed out. "They just try to bite bad people or those that are afraid of them."

"They look dangerous…" Naoki agreed whispering when one of them yawned.

"When the baby comes you will have to put them off here." Takumi said.

"They will not go away." I said keeping myself still at the point while I sat down next to Shin and Nana I. Komatsu "They are also part of this family, and they would never do any harm on a defenceless person such as a baby."

"How can you be so sure?" Nobu said.

"Have they ever tried to bite you Nobu?" I asked him. "No. They've been playing with babies before, they've allowed them to pull from their ears and their tails and just hit them softly with their legs and muffs to make them away and so them leaving. No harm, no growling… they are really nice chaps."

"Just with her and children." Nobu said.

(Yasu's voice)

"And so how is it they don't even try to bite Ren?" I asked while being passed the bowl of food to serve myself a bit.

"That's true." Reira said amazed. "Ren can get next to them and they do nothing to him…"

"They are nice guys." Ren said then. "A bit scary sometimes but nice."

"Obviously, Ren is not afraid of them." Isa said shrugging. "And he knows exactly how to deal with them."

"No, I don't." Ren said then. "They keep on trying to run away from me when I walk them around down the park."

"Well… then you don't know exactly how to deal with them… pity I thought you did." Isa said then.

"So you are keeping them even when your kid is born." Takumi said.

"I also thin you should send them back where they came." Hachi told her.

"I can't believe you guys are saying such." She said as offended. "Hachi, would you send Satsuki to a boarding school if you got pregnant again and the baby was born? Nero and Lucius are as my children too. And they are perfectly trained."

"She is not going to send them anywhere." Shin said. "She is stubborn."

"By the way, Isa." I asked her when things calmed up a bit and the rest chatted about other things. "Do you know anything about your father's business lately?"

"Hum?" She answered a bit confused on my question. "Well… the truth is I have seen some of my brother's business actions lately increased their prize, and the hotels at the Atlantic sea have decrease a bit due to the last month typhoon and also that hurricane going next to the coasts so… well, I'm not really worried by that, he has always found the way of covering those gaps soon."

"I've read your brother had some actions on another business." I told her trying to cheat her into telling me if she had also that kind of salaries too.

"Oh, yes." She said thinking and then smiling. "He has also some actions on an airplanes company, they are good because he usually used them for travels from a point to another linking our hotels. Anyway, why are you so interested all of sudden on that part of my life?"

"I just read something about your family this week on the net." I said trying to lie to her.

"Hum." She said doubting to the show me she believed me. "Well, I'm out of business now. I just take after the hotel here in Tokyo when I've got time enough."

"So you get money from the hotel here in the town." Takumi said all of sudden interested on her life.

"Er… no, not really." She said shaking her head. "That's family business; I put all the money earned there at my family's vault at Suisse. Yet I suppose that part of that must go to my own part of my father's heritance he will leave my brother and me."

"Man, so it's true you are a tycoon heir." Naoki said surprised.

"Yes, I suppose so." She recognised a bit embarrassed about it. "Yet my dad is pretty healthy so no inherited anything yet."

"But you refused to take Ren's money for your baby." Reira said then.

"I've got my own money saved." She said taking another forkful of food. "He will be nothing lack."

"And where the hell do you pretend to get all the money for paying for both of your life needs?" Takumi said.

"My salaries." I said.

"Salary." Nobu said.

"Yes, that." She said smiling.

No, she said 'salaries', it meant more than one salary, but she just worked as singer and economical adviser for Gaia. Then why she said such? She said her family would turn her the back, so it was not money coming from her family business…

I knew she should be owning also actions of something, something big enough so as to give her enough money…

(Shin's voice)

It was late when Isa fell asleep at the sofa while listening to Hachi speaking about mother business and she told us.

"She has stood pretty much tonight." I said going to hold her at my arms laying her arm around my shoulders.

"Allow me." Yasu said coming and taking my place. "Hum, you have to watch her meals out better; she seems to be weighting not enough for her state."

"We try." Nobu said. "But she keeps on being sick if she eats too much."

"Then try harder." Takumi said also referring to Ren this time. "I now can understand why she doesn't want any of you as father."

"Takumi, enough." Yasu told him still holding Isa up to carry her along the corridor to her bedroom. "You don't know why she chose that."

"If she is getting no help from them that could make her chose that." Takumi said lighting a cig. "A pregnant woman wants to feel secure."

Suddenly I held his cig and burned my palm as I smashed it despite of it being already lighted.

"Do not smoke in here, do it on the window." I told him angry. "Furthermore, watch out your words, your wife is here too."

(Yasu's words)

I was making my friend Isa laid at her bed when she half opened her eyes.

"Did I fell asleep?" She asked me softly rubbing her face.

"Yes, but don't worry." I told her. "You need to rest. Everyone understood you were brought here to bed."

"A host doesn't leaves a party without a proper speech asking for forgives." She told me.

"Forget about that with us." I told her covering her with her bed-robes. "Nobody out there is used to that. Furthermore, you already acted as a host allowing this party up and standing all Takumi's rude statements."

"Someone should tell that rude guy off." She said then acting like a mother.

"I'll tell him off." I said kissing her hand and rubbing it while I smiled.

She then smiled softly.

"It's a pity you are not father yet." She told me. "You would do a perfect father; any woman would be honoured to be the mother of your son…"

"Sure." I said a bit confused. "I'll leave the door half open if you don't mind. Just to be sure we can hear you if you need something."

She then nodded and I left leaving the door half open so as to hear any noise she could do in pain or nightmares as Shin and Nobu told me she was having lately.

"How is she?" Reira asked as soon as I went out of the bedroom.

"Takumi, please, next time try being more polite to women." I told him off. "What you said before to her was a bit too rude."

"I just spoke truths." He argued.

"Truths on a rude way." I pointed out. "Nex time if she doesn't punish you someone else would."

"For example me." Shin told him.

"Shin, she would not want that either." I told him off too.

"Ok, we are better leaving." Nana said sighing.

"You don't have to leave." Nobu said embarrashed.

"No, no." She said smiling politely. "We've been out of home for a long while, Satsuki could have gone ill and we didn't found out, or..."

"Hachi is always worried about her." Takumi said. "But she inherited all the great gens of her dad and would not go ill so easily. Anyway... tell her the party was good and all that. Good bye."

"Bye." Nana said smiling as they got their coats on and soon they were gone.

"Ok, I supose it's time for me to also leave." Reira said also smiling. "C'mon Naoki... you've been drinking too much..."

"But I wanted to say bye to Isa in person!" He moaned.

"We will tell her." Shin said. "Now she must be already sleeping."

Sure she was, she was already nearly slept when I left so now she would be on the best of her dreams.

(Ren's voice)

I was ending emptying the ashtrays on the binn when I heard some moans at the corridor. Then I put my head out of the kitchen carrying the ashtrays from the livingroom and as I heard them again I called for the rest's attention while I walked towards the source of the moans.

"Isa, hey Isa..." I said getting in her room to notice she was moving from time to time as if she was having a nightmare. "Isa, everything is allright..." I said holding her.

Then she woke up frightened and when she noticed it was me who was sitting next to her she held my back.

"C'mon... everything is fine... did you had another nightmare?" I asked her softly.

"It was awful." She said.

"Calm up... we are all fine... nothing bad has gone on." I told her allowing her to hug me burying her ear at my chest.

(Shin's voice)

While I saw Ren conforting my cousin, I felt better. She had been having some nightmares lately and so she used to moan in the nights. That reason, I had began sleeping with her every single night as she seems not to want Ren or Nobu so as not to give them false expectations...

Anyway, seeing them confort her when they heard her first showed me they were beginning to give up on the hope of becoming the 'only' father of the to-be-born baby.

"If you want I'll be here until you fall asleep againg." Ren offered.

Then she shook her head and dropped his back to dry her face with the back of her hand.

"I'll be fine." She said while her dogs jumped to bed too. "See? Nero and Lucius will guard me." She said caressing their heads.

"Are you sure?" Ren asked her. "I could..."

"Yes. Go and keep on partying." She told him.

"We were cleaning now." Nobu said. "But when we end we could come and check you have got over this."

"I'll be fine." She said rubbing her stomach. "Just go and don't worry for me."

"C'mon, let's keep on washing the dishes." I then said from the door. "Night, Isa. We will leave the door half open in order to hear you if you need anything."

She then nooded and I turned the door to half close it.

"She is having nightmares?" Ren then asked us.

"If you spent here more time you would know." Nobu said.

"Nobu, enough." I told him. "Yes, she is having nightmares again, Ren."

"I'll give a hand with the things here." Ren said. "I can begin living here, if she allows me."

"Well, maybe she does." I told him. "As long as you don't take drugs in here."

"Ok, ok..." He told us. "No smoking for the baby's health, no alcohol in front of her so as not to tempt her... and no drugs. I caught it."

"Then you could ask her tomorrow morning." I told him. "If you want to stay there's still an empty room."


	49. Chapter 54

**EPISODE 54: IT'S NEAR. PLEASE, TELL THE GUYS.**

(Yasu's voice)

Ding-Dong... Ding-Dong... Ding...Dong.

I was ringing on the door at Isa, Shin and Nobu's place. From the party when we last met all toghether, it's been about two months and a half and now, Gaia has sent her home to rest so I take her the contability notes when I visit her diary so as she can work at home.

"Yasu!" Shin said opening the door on a cheerful way. "Come in, come in! We didn't expected you until late!"

"Who is up?" Ren asked from another room.

"Yasu." Shin told him. "He's came to visit and bring Isa more work."

I nearly forgot it, Ren has moved there so as to been able to keep a closer eye on Isa too.

"Sorry." He said appearing there sweating and shirtless with a hamer on a hand and a scredriver on the other. "I was working on the baby's room."

"Ren didn't agree with some things and so, he is begining to mount the cradle himself." Shin explained me as he sat down at the sofa.

"And where is Nobu?" I asked. "And Isa?"

"She is out for the hospital to be done some check ups and Nobu went to buy some more spring water and grapefruits." Ren said. "Shin is the only one not doing a thing."

"I'm checking the meal doesn't get burned." He complaint.

"Begin giving a hand." Ren said hitting his neck softly.

"And I supose she has taken her demons too." I said when the white cat rubbed against my legs softly.

"Yes, well..." Ren said. "They have been taken for a walk by Naoki. Don't ask me why but he seemed to find out she was going to the check up and she would not be giving them a walk and he came and offered himself for that tasks."

"Now he must be being pulled along half Tokyo for the two demons to reach their chief." I said dropping the paper fonders on the table and realising the upside neigbourghs were a bit nosy latelly. "What are they doing? Trying to shake their home down?"

"In fact... Isa has managed to get that flat too." Ren said. "She said she would need more space now she would have a little kid, so I think she is planning to also cut a piece of our ceiling and build a staircase to get in."

"WEll, there are not many duplexes here..." I said opening a window to light a cig. "And how has she managed to get it? The old lady didn't want to sell it."

It was true, she seemed to have gone after that flat just over hers for about two months and the old lady owning it didn't wanted to hear about selling it.

"She called for the lady's woman sense telling her her baby would need a proper room better than a shared room." Shin said. "I think the old lady was thinking about going to live on an elder home where she is well cared and she can join more old people as her."

"Can you imagine?" Ren said. "A full building marked with gardens and full of rinkled, white haired, teethless people... terrifying."

"Do not laugh on what you can become." I told him.

"I'll be as handsome as now." He said smiling.

"Yeah, sure." Shin muttered.

(Isa's voice)

"And so, I think you should come here if you keep on having those pain strikes so often in the nights." The doctor told me. "Have you told your friends?"

"No." I shook my head. "They keep on thinking they are just nightmares or normal pains."

"And when do you pretend to tell them about this?" She asked me as if she was my mother instead my mother's doctor-friend. "When you have a beautiful baby out of you?"

"I didn't wanted to make them nervous when it's still weeks until he is born." I said.

"Isa, you were born a day before you should." She told me. "It could be a repeated story now."

"I'll then tell them as soon as I arrived back home." I said.

(Naoki's voice)

"Ahhh! Stop!!" I shouted to the two dogs that were running after another dog. "Stop, please!!! How are this demons stopped??!!"

I had been pulled around after falling trying to avoid them running like that and falling down when they took their chance to pull from me all along the park.

All of sudden, we heard a whistle and they stopped to begin running immediately towards the source of the whistling while I kept on shouting in fear trying to make them stop running.

"Stop." Isa's voice said suddenly.

Then both dogs stopped on their place.

"Sit." She ordered them.

Then they sat down patting for having spent so much time running from here to there pulling from me.

"Are you ok Naoki?" Isa then asked me as she patted the two demons' heads. "When you take them for a walk you must take them for a walk and not the other way round."

"I thought I would die." I said then. "How do you manage to always make them obey you and not the rest?" I asked her.

"Decition." She said. "You must show them who the chief is. And furthermore, they are well trained." She said allowing them to lick her face with their big tongues.

"How was the doctor prediction?" I asked her softly.

"Fine, he is fine." She said smiling and caressing her belly at her blowed stomach. "If he is taking after his mommy he will be a healthy strong guy."

"Or maybe he takes after his father." I told her. "Ren or... Nobu."

"Hope he gets the skills at guitar and bass from whoever the father is." She told me.

"So still not have found out who is...?" I asked her worried as she took both dogs that walked by her side towards her house.

"No, and I don't think it matters." She said sighing. "I don't want two friends as them to fight over that matter. And I don't want to steal the world a great guitarist, cause if I chosed one of them, he would drop his career as musician and work hard for paying for half of the baby's life."

"So you are going to deny Ren his right as father with the kid." I told him.

"No, I'm just denying him to be called dady." She said then. "He is going to be able to see him, if he wants to of course."

"He will want to." I said smiling. "I can't undestand it all, but... Ok, he will be just fine if you allow him to see the kid."

(Isa's voice)

"How was the doctor's visit?" I was asked by Nobu, Shin and Ren almost at the same time the second I crossed the door.

"Wow, it looks like a politone." I aid nearly laughing.

"So?" Yasu asked me from the window. "How was it?"

"Fine, or so I think." I recognised dropping my bags. "I'm around the 8th and half month of pregnancy and so... well, the baby could have be born sooner it should." I added fastening the last part. "By the way, what do you want to get for dinner?"

"It could be born before it should?" Yasu asked me.

"Yes, but... well, just for a day or two." I said.

"And what did he said about the pain strikes due to nightmares in the night?" Nobu said. "Are the nightmares affecting the baby?"

"I bet not." Yasu said. "And I bet you are not having nightmares as you say." He told me sofltlier while I laid the table. "I bet they are contractions, telling you the birth is getting nearer."

"How can you...?" I said.

"Isa, you have to see the new crane." Ren said.

"And you have to get your medecine." Nobu said.

"Medecines." Shin added. "You have to take them and lately we have to remember you..."

"See?" I then said smiling. "I've got three husbands here."

"That's nothing for be joking at???" Nobu said.

(Naoki's voice)

"Sorry men." Isa said at about midnight. "I'm going to go to bed."

"Ah!!" Nobu said. "Is it already that late?! You should have gone to bed sooner!!"

"Nobu, it's ok." I said. "I'm going now too."

"Your pills." Ren said.

"I'll take them before sleeping." She said smiling. "First I have to have a bath."

"Sure." Yasu said. "Don't worry, I'll make those three busy here until you get out."

"Thanks Ya-san." Isa said smiling.

"Isa, Isa!" I said before she left. "Can I?"

"Naoki..." She said smiling but getting to where I was.

"Hey, little one. It's me, uncle Naoki." I told to her belly whispering. "Good night..." I wishpered before kissing it and laying my ear there.

"He knows." Ren said hitting my head with his cig box. "You tell him every day, good morning, afternoon and night."

"You never tell a baby enough times." Naoki said.

"I must agree." Isa gave me a hand. "You never tell people you love them enough times."

"Isa." Shin said holding her hand as she passed next to him. "I love you." He said before giving her a soft kiss at her lips.

"Hey, don't do that!!" Nobu and Ren said making her laugh.

"Ok, I'm leaving." I said standing up. "Now you are four people to gamble."

"Need to be taken home?" Ren said.

"Nah, I'll take a taxi." I said.

That house would be a great place to bring up a baby, with so many parental images and funny atmosphere. Yes, maybe if I was a little guy, I would love to be grew up there.

(Ren's voice)

"Isa... may I come in?" I asked knocking on her door.

"Aye." Someone said from inside.

"Shin... again in here?" I asked him while I noticed Isa was already sleeping so I lowered my voice too. "You are a kind of tick. Get away from her a bit."

"I don't want to." He said. "I'm not going to leave her alone."

"You look like a big teddy bear." I added joking. "C'mon leave her alone a bit, I am jealous. Look for your girl!"

"Mmmm..." She then muttered moving her eyes without opening them.

"Shhhh..." Shin told her burying his mouth at her hair over her ear. "I'm not leaving..."

"You're not leaving, you're not leaving..." I said.

"Hush!" Shin nearly begged. "She needs me to sleep with her, she feels safer like that. Family habits."

"That doesn't have anything to do with family." I marked out pointing him with my finger.

"It has." He assured. "I used to feel the same when she did on the very few times he came. You can't undestand it, but when she or I are feeling nervous and threatened, we can feel rest on someone we trust's arms."

"You are just inventing it." I muttered him.

"I'm sure you realised on something when Nobu and her broke up." Shin said and then she moanned again.

"Shhh... relax... I'm here..." He wishpered kissing her hair gently. "I'm not leaving..."

"Ren!" Nobu called me. "Please, come and give a hand!!!"

"Shhh!" I said before closing the door behind me. "Our lady is sleeping."

(Naoki's voice)

"Ahhh! Stop!!" I shouted


	50. Chapter 55

**EPISODE 55: ANGST.**

(Isa's voice)

It was late in the night. After some days sleeping peacefully and living a peaceful and relaxed life going on for long walks along Tokyo and the surroundings with all of the Blast guys and also Ren, Naoki and even Reira and Hachiko that was again pregnant and Sasuki that still was a baby, I was lying flat at my bed while Shin was out at the living room due to the light I could see coming from TV and under the door.

Shin's been sleeping there with me lately because I rather him than Nobu or Ren; anyway, the pain strikes in the night, together with the nightmares were being a bit too often lately and so I was worried.

That night, when I had it and I was woke up by it; I sat down and did my respiration exercises so as to be able to control them. I was used to them now, they lasted for a little while and then disappeared for some hours.

Then I stood up and went to the living room to take a bottle of spring water and some grapefruit juice to mix them and drink it together with a pill that I had to take on half an hour now.

When I went out I saw it was not Shin who was there but Mai (Mishato) that was sleeping with the TV volume really soft, so soft I didn't realised it from my room.

Then I remembered, the guys were on a 'social dinner' outside tonight; I was who insisted a lot on the importance of them not skipping it and that I would be perfectly well alone in home, they went but sent Mishato to have a look at me in case I needed it.

And I was to need her.

I was squeezing the grapefruits at the squeezer when suddenly a new pain strike arrived and I lost all strengths at my hands so I had to hold to the surface of the kitchen as I could when my legs began threatening to let me fall down.

How could it be such a pain strike so close to the previous one?

"Mishato!" I called her while I dropped the jar losing all the strength at my hands. "Mai! Mishato!"

I don't know if she woke up due to my calling or because in that moment the glass jar burst into a million pieces as it crashed into the ground spilling all the juice and water mix while I got some minor cuts with the flying glass shatters.

"AH!!" She shouted frightened when she saw me half falling against the door hole side. "Isa-san! What's wrong?! Are you sick?!"

"Mishato… an ambulance…" I said feeling the voice was also missing.

(Yasu's voice)

I was speaking with some of the party hosts when I felt my mobile moving at my pocket; as we were in a party, I just left my mobile at the silent mode in case an emergency could happen somewhere else, and having two pregnant friends, that was something possible with a lot of probabilities.

"Excuse me a moment, please." I apologized to the men I was talking with.

Then I hurried to get to a terrace and there I took out the phone.

"Mai?" I asked her when I saw whom the one making the phone call was. "Say, is anything wrong?"

"Ya-san!" She shouted with great terror at her voice. "It's so awful! I didn't meant to! It's all my fault!"

She was really terrified and spitting words fast as if she was about being having a heart attack.

"Mishato, please, calm up." I asked her while Takumi arrived. "Please, breath deep and then tell me. Is anything wrong with Isa or you?"

"What's wrong?" Takumi asked me. "You should have turned off that fucking thing."

"I think something is wrong with Mishato." I told him while I heard Mishato trying to explain herself better. "Mishato, please, I can't understand a thing. Could you calm up a bit, please?"

"Isa, she is being taken to a hospital!" She summarised it. "It's all my fault!!" She said crying.

"What hospital is she being taken?" I asked her picking up the cig that just fell and splattering it against the wall before throwing it away.

"I… I don't know!" She said. "I can't remember…"

"Mishato, please, calm up." I asked her. "Does Saint Luke's Hospital ring you a bell?"

"She told them what one to take her…" She answered.

She was really crying bitterly and so nervous I was afraid she could have an attack.

"Ok, Mishato, don't worry, we are on the way there." I said. "We will be there before you can realise."

"What's wrong?" Takumi asked frowning at me.

"Get out of the way." I said nearly pushing him to get back inside and be able to begin finding Shin, Nobu and Ren to tell them about that. "We've got an emergency. Isa is being taken to the hospital."

(Nobu's voice)

It was all too fast, I was speaking with some people when Shin arrived running and told me all:

"Isa's being taken to the hospital!" He told me terrified and patting. "Yasu's called for a taxi."

That first part was more than enough for making something inside me turn the danger alarm and I went also frightened.

However, that was not the worse, Ren was having a strong argument with Takumi that was holding his arm to prevent him running, and Reira was looking a bit frightened too on that show.

And once again, Ren managed to sneak from Takumi.

(Ren's voice)

"I said you couldn't leave!" Takumi shouted at me at the very hall from the place where the party was being held while he held me to prevent me leaving. "By heavens' shake! You can't leave this party just because she is taken to a hospital! She's been having troubles like that all this days and it's always been nothing!"

"I said I'm going!" I said pulling and releasing myself. "I am not going to stay here while she is taken to a hospital!!"

"Just think a bit about it!" Takumi said angry. "You can't leave! And if you could you are so nervous you can't drive!"

"I SAID I'M LEAVING!!" I shouted at him pushing him away.

"Ren, you can't drive." Yasu told me. "I've asked for a taxi, it will arrive soon."

"You had no right to tell him!" Takumi told him.

"He is living with her." Yasu said. "Of course he had the right of knowing it. Ren, hand me the keys." He demanded me.

"My car is faster than a taxi." I told him.

"You will do nothing if you have an accident and you are put at another hospital room." He said. "Nobu and Shin are also really nervous, worried and frightened and they will be waiting for a taxi."

"I can drive." Take-chan said. "I can drive you."

"I also want to go!" Reira said worried. "What if it has happened anything important?!"

"This is just a madness…" I said. "None of you can leave!"

"The taxi is here." Yasu said.

It was not need of him telling me, Takumi stepped in the middle cutting my way and I pushed him aside so I break my way to the door while I felt Shin and Nobu running after me too.

(Mishato's voice)

I was alone at the hospital waiting room with my mobile phone still clenched at my hand. I was curled over myself while a nurse was trying to comfort me.

Since Isa was taken through the urgencies area doors, nobody had told me a word about it, and it was all my fault for not having stood awaken and with all my attention in her room in case she was feeling bad again.

And suddenly I heard a lot of noise outside before the doors burst open and Yasu, Nobu, Ren and Shin broke in the waiting room.

"Mishato, are you ok?" Yasu asked me lowering to face me. "Where is Isa?"

"I don't know…" I cried. "They took her in the urgency area… they didn't allowed me in…"

"Please, calm up…" Shin said hugging me softly. "Calm up, we can't understand a thing."

Ren was shouting again, and so, he was threatened to be injected anaesthesia if he kept on behaving like he was.

"Ren." Yasu told him. "Sit down and behave. Everyone, calm up, I'm going to see what I can do… I'll see if I can find out something about her."

"I don't want to calm up!" Nobu said. "I want to see she is fine!!"

"I'm going to see what we can do." Yasu said. "But or you calm up or I'll kick you out of here."

(Yasu's voice)

After about half an hour being sent from here to there while I tried to find out of Isa, finally I was told on a desk.

"Miss Okanzaki? Isn't her the patient at Operation room 1004?" A doctor said. "She is being operated right now."

"Operated?" I asked him. "What of?"

"Hum, it seems there was a problem with the baby." The doctor said. "But that's just what I heard."

(Nobu's voice)

It's been about half an hour now since we have been waiting at the waiting room, most of people have changed, the ones there when we arrived have gone and new ones have arrived.

I can't be sitting for much longer so I stand up and begin walking from here to there at the room.

"Nobu, can you sit down?" Our old manager told me. "You are all the time moving, you make us nervous."

"I can't stand it." I said. "What's wrong? Why does nobody tell us anything?"

Now there was another problem, and it is we were moved because Reira, Naoki, Narita-san, Takumi… and even Hachi have came to the hospital and now we all can fill the room if we were there all together; however, most people are whether getting coffee from the machine outside at the corridor or asking for information so just Mai, Shin, Ren, Hachi, Reira, Naoki, Takumi, Narita, our boss and I are there at the room.

Takumi is standing against a wall next to Hachi that is sitting while the two bosses and the girls stay sitting and Shin, Ren and I can't stop walking from here to there.

(Ren's voice)

"I'm going to the toilet." I announced.

"Do not run away." Takumi told me with a tired voice as he was bothered and angry. "You are not allowed to move from here to the toilet."

"Takumi, please." Narita told him off. "Ren, do you want anyone to go with you?"

"I can still pee alone, thanks." I said bothered.

Of course my first thought was to run away and find something else myself, but now I was to be watched, I went to the toilet and watered my face a bit.

I was feeling as if I had fire at my stomach, I was nervous, shocked, afraid on what could have gone on and what did it happened… I was terrified.

Then I hit the wall as I felt the water I had watered my face with and sweat and… tears.

(Shin's voice)

"I can't wait more!" I said standing up again after having sat down for some seconds. "I have the right of knowing what's going on here!"

"You have no rights here." Takumi told me. "So sit down and shut up."

"I don't want to." I said. "And I don't know why you are here!"

"Shut up!" Narita and Kawano said at the same time.

"Please, this is enough awful without you guys fighting." Kawano said.

"Specially in this times you should put those things away." Narita added looking as angry as Kawano. "By heavens shake, maybe Miss Okanzaki is not the top of your likes, Takumi, but she is a mate of yours, friend of your friends and wife and soon she could be mother of Ren's child, or Nobu's."

"That's not the matter." Takumi said.

"Well, she is my cousin!" I said. "She is my cousin and my friend! And I want to know what's happening with her!"

"Stop shouting or we will ask anyone to inject you all anaesthesia." Narita said.

(Yasu's voice)

I was still trying to find out something else about our friend when something suddenly happened.

"Dr. Nakazato, I've came the fastest I was able." The lady next to me said taking off her jacket fast and hitting the counter with it due to the speed she was moving at.

"Ah, Dr. Nakazato; they are waiting for you at the theatre 1004." The receptionist said.

"Thanks." The woman said.

"Excuse me madam." I called her. "My friend is at that room, we are worried about her."

"Ah, you must be one of her friends." The lady said. "Don't worry, she is really a strong lady."

"What's gone one with her?" I asked the woman.

"Hum, has nobody told you?" The lady said. "Ok, be a good guy and go confort the three crazy fathers and tell them she will be out of this one too. I'll send someone with news as soon as I can."


	51. Chapter 56

EPISODE 56: A

**EPISODE 56: HOPES.**

((I know this chapter can be a bit short, but I wanted to do another one especially for another feeling, LOL.))

(Yasu's voice)

"Family of…" A nurse said appearing on the waiting room at about 5.30 am. "Not you men, family of Yun Kosawa."

It was amazing, it was still time since we all had to stop the party and went there, Hachi was sleeping and Takumi was next to her surrounding her with his arm as comforting her.

"I was to ask who was the family of Miss Okanzaki, but I think I can make out." A man said appearing behind the nurse.

There was a fast moving in the room and immediately the man was being surrounded by Shin, Nobu, Naoki and Ren while the rest stood up in tension.

"Do you have any news?" Shin asked nervous. "Is she ok? Where is her?"

"How is her? Where is her?" Ren and Nobu asked changing their order. "How is her?"

"My, my, my…" The man said. "When the doctor told me I would have to deal with nervous men I didn't expect this!"

"The questions one by one." I told them off. "Is anything known about her state?"

"Aye." The man said. "She is fine now, she's been a bit bad but luckily she has managed to stabilise again… and she has asked about a lot of people I suppose it's all of you."

"Has she called me?" Was the question every one of the boisterous ones asked.

"Err…" The man asked shocked.

"Who has she called?" I asked.

"Mishato, Shin, Nobu, Ren…" The man said. "I'm not sure about the order, she's been raving a bit, she named a lot of things and then she began speaking in English, so not much things understood here."

"How is her?" I asked cutting his speech.

"Ah, fine, fine." He said. "He has stabilised. The doctor told me to come here and inform you guys before you were in need of being moved to a special room at the Psychiatric wing. She asked me to tell you that the girl is fine, that she was a bit bad when she arrived but that she has stabilised a bit. They are making some test at her the fastest they can counting on the fact that she is having strikes more often and that is a bit bad for working on her."

"Strikes?" I said. "What strikes?"

"Oh, oh…" The man said. "You don't know a thing, do you?"

"What kind of information is that?" Takumi asked offended. "All you can tell us is she is being done tests?"

"You spend a lot of time out and all you manage to get from her state is she is bad but she is stabilised now?" Ren asked. "What is that?!"

"She was hospitalized with a serie of frequent contractions." The nurse said. "The state is she can be giving birth from a moment to another."

"WHAT??" All of us said at once.

(Ren's voice)

"I want to go see her!" Shin was shouting to the man giving us the news.

He had been like that for about a minute now, while Yasu prevents him to jump over the man and on the other hand, the rest of us are really nervous sitting or against the walls.

"C'mon, it's been managed to get you all in a special waiting room so you can stop bothering the rest of waiting people or ill people." The man said then.

"We don't want to be taken to a waiting room." I said. "We want to be taken to see her."

"You can't do that." He said. "She is on an operation theatre, just qualified people are allowed there."

"Ehem." A female nurse said shyly getting in the room wearing a green uniform.

"Ah, Yuriko." The man said. "Anything new?"

"Are you taking care of the operation too?" Nobu asked holding her hand.

"I… just came to bring this." She said holding a tape-recorder.

"What's that?" Shin asked looking at it as if it was alien made.

"That's a tape-recorder." Takumi said. "Was used to record things long time ago. I thought nobody nowadays kept on using that."

"No, no." The woman said. "It's a message."

Then I took it and began trying to turn it on until I was taken by Yasu that looked at it and pressed a bottom to start the recording.

"Hey, you boisterous people." Isa's voice said. "Stop bullying the people at this place and behave. Everything is fine here so stop bothering around"

It was not long, she was not here, but it was as if she was speaking straight to us.

"To Mai; don't worry, I'm like a… Excuse me, what was that flower you called me before?" She asked to someone else out of heard. "That's right, I'm like a Gladiolus in your culture. I'm going to get over well. Shin, you must call it I'm like the ivy. Explain it to them, please."

"Ivies are strong plants that grow wild." Shin told us. "She wants to mean she is strong and that it's not so easy to end up with her, like ivies that don't die so easily with chemical products or weather."

"I suppose Ya-san was the one my doctor saw before, so…

To Yasu, take care of those people, they are really… uff, they are able to turn this place into a madhouse if they are left alone."

"What a silly lash." Takumi said softly complaining.

"It's funny, but it seems us humans seem to trip twice on the same stone at our way." She kept on as sighing. "It seems I'm repeating the story of my birth. I was born on hard circumstances different from usual ones and so it seems is going to happened with my baby."

She certainly seemed to be smiling then, tired due to her soft voice…

(Nobu's voice)

"I love you, guys kiss…" The tape said.

Then I rewind and played it again for Shin, Ren and I

"I love you, guys…" The tape repeated blowing a kiss for hundred first time.

"You are going to break it." Takumi complained.

"Let them heard it as much as they want." Yasu told him.

It was funny, but those simple words, "I love you, guys", were the only way we had to be comforted back then.

It was about five in the morning now and no more news other than little tips from time to time and that recording were given to us.

"Takumi, you should take you wife back your home." Narita told him.

"I wish I could." He said. "But every time I try you see she wakes up and begins complaining." He added sighing.

"Shut up." I said. "We can't hear the tape."

"What interest is on hearing that once and again?" Takumi said.

"You are so cold…" Reira said yawning at her seat next to us. "She loves us… it's the only way we have now to be with her…"

(Yasu's voice)

It was about six in the morning when the man sent from time to time to inform and comfort us came again. When he opened the door, Reira, Naoki and Takumi as well as Mr. Kawano and Mr. Narita woke up and Ren, Shin and Nobu stood up to get to him.

"What news do you bring?" Ren asked.

"My, my…" The man said. "So long and still so nervous? That's bad."

"How is her?" Shin asked.

"Who is the cousin?" The man asked.

"I am!" Shin said raising his hand.

"We need some blood, so we should first check her family in search of 0- blood."

"I… I'm 0+ …" Shins said then.

"Hum…" The man said. "No, we need the same blood time, she can only be given 0- blood, different from a 0+ that can be given both 0 kinds. So… anyone here has the same kind of blood?"

"I have 0-." Takumi said opening his eyes surprised.

"Perfect, this way." He said holding his arm with help of another man in green robes.

"Where are you taking me?!" Takumi began shouting. "This is kidnap!"

"Where are you taking him?" Narita asked frightened.

"Oh, he is going to donate some blood for your little friend." The man said. "And about the rest… This was not supposed to be done, but… well, as she settled her operation to be used too as for lessons I suppose you can come with me and see it second line if you swear not to bother down there."

"WE SWEAR!!" Nobu, Shin and Ren said nearly at once holding his hands and making him shocked.

"O… Ok… this… this way." The man said shocked. "By the way, we were just wondering… who is the father?"

(Isa's voice)

I was just taken to a crystal room where I was told by my doctor that at the other side of the glass walls the doctors and doctor-to-be would be watching all the process.

"Now just try to relax." The woman told me smiling motherly. "You will be just well soon."

"I… I can try." I nodded. "I'm a bit nervous…"

"Don't worry." She said getting everything ready. "I'm the one doing it all, you have nothing to worry about; I'm not letting you get any harm."

I just nodded.

I was still really nervous and terrified about all that was happening. I could not remember everything about all that. I have not much remembers since the moment I was taken in the hospital over a stretcher.

I was now a bit better, but still the panic didn't allowed me to relax much. It was not fear to what was to come, it was fear about what I could left behind, fear of losing my precious baby then… fear to lose.

"Relax, please." The lady said holding my hand softly. "The worse is now over; now all left is going to be a piece of cake."

"Madam." The only man going in and out all the time said. "We've got something. It… well, someone said it could help, maybe."

"Not allowing people in here, right?" The doctor said.

"Yes." He said.

He disappeared for a while and then he came back.

"It's on the way." He said.

"Ok, Isa." My doctor said making me look at her again. "I'm going to inject you some anaesthesia, you are going to feel a bit the injection and then you are going to feel not as much pain, ok?"

"Aye." I said softly.

"Then I'm going to need a bit of cooperation coming from you, you have to do all I tell you to do, understand?" She asked me.

"Aye." I said over-nervous.

"Please, calm up." She said.

"I… I can't…" I muttered going a bit more scared.

I felt how sweat was covering me, and now it was about mixing with tears too.

Then all of sudden it happened, everything froze when the first chords came out of the hi-fi system in the room, I froze hearing it.

It was a soft tune played by two different guitars, what looked as a mandolin. Then I heard something else appearing to be someone playing drums with chairs, other surfaces and something metal. It was the voice of my friends, a silent voice canalised by the music format and played with cheap means.

Then I looked to the glass panes surrounding everything and closed my eyes dropping two tears and relaxing all of sudden a lot while I heard them playing for me. There were a lot of hopes in those music, especially when Reira began singing a song whose lyrics spoke of hopes and fighting for reaching far and blue skies.

"Ok, now… I'm going to need all your cooperation." The doctor told me while I felt an injection at my back and arm.

I nodded blinking. The lights were beginning to go less painful for my eyes yet they kept on blinding me.

"Ka-sama…" I told the doctor trying to call her someone else's mother. "Please, take care of my child if I could not…"

"For sure." She said smiling mildly after a second of perplexity.

(Shin's voice)

"Shin, you are hurting me." Mishato told me while I held her hand strongly without realising it.

"Sorry." I said loosening the grip. "It's just…"

"Shin-chan can keep on doing it." She said. "I'm also a bit frightened."

I could see how Ren was sinking his fingertips at the chair seat, and Nobu was also squeezing a bottle and Yasu's jacket arm.

Everyone was as nervous as if he was the father, especially us three.

At first we saw Isa was over-nervous and so things were going not so easy down there. She was apparently going through a lot of pain down there and so she was even more nervous, or so Hachi said. Then I came across an idea and I told Nobu, Ren and the rest. Of course, Takumi didn't supported my idea, as the bosses and staff there, but Yasu that was reliable ended by saying maybe it could work so we asked the nurse-man that was informing us all night long about how things went with our friend and he guided us to a room where they kept an Spanish guitar and a mandolin for playing for the permanent ill kids at the paediatric wing, and one of the nurse lent us a Ibanez one he kept at his wardrobe because he got lessons before having to get to the hospital. Naoki and Yasu, on the other hand, had to play toy drums and a table and chair as if they were real drums, however, it worked more or less well.

Even Reira gave a hand and sang some songs speaking about hope and blue skies while we were recorded at that tape-recorder we were shown before.

When we ended, the tape was listened for some seconds to check it was recorded and then it was took to be played at the hi-fi of the operation room where our friend was being kept. For the time we went back, it was being played softly and also in our room where we sat back down to have an eye on that.

(Mrs. Nakazato's voice)

"What a nice baby!" The nurse I passed the little baby after hitting his bottom to make him cry said holding him softly. "So cute and strong…"

"This is not over." I sentenced keeping on moving my hand inside that lady that was nearly as a daughter for me. "We've managed to save one, yet…"

Then she shouted in pain again.

"Ok, ok." I said on a comforting voice. "Everything's fine… good girl…"

We could still hear the music after an hour and a half, it was being repeated, or so said one of the other doctors there with me, I've not paid much attention to anything other than the girl now is at my hands.

She shouted again and nearly moved due to convulsions due to pain.

"C'mon, It's nearly finished." I encouraged her. "Push a bit more, dear…"

It has been the worse case I've ever had to deal with, worse even than her mother's one.

Finally after a lot of sweat from everyone, we managed to take out the problem.

"Oh, my!" I said before cutting the umbilical cord and hitting his bottom to make him start breathing and crying. "How could it be twins and nobody noticed!!"

It had been twins, two boys, identical but for little differences; but the ultrasounds pictures just showed one of them.

"It's just… incredible!" We said astonished.

Then…

Piiiiiii…

(Nobu's voice)

"Ok, it's done." Narita said. "Congratulations for the family."

"Wait a moment." Nana said worried. "That's no good, the doctors have not move…"

It was amazing, just when we thought everything was finished, we saw how the doctors went back into business.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Why hasn't it all ended?"

We saw something else and then, where they took out another baby from inside her and we saw the doctor hitting the butt of the new baby, we were surprised.

However, we were suddenly terrified when we heard a beep that until then was intermittent go continuous.

"Oh, no!" The doctor said.

"Do not panic!" The head woman said. "Get the external defibrillator, QUICK!"

I couldn't speak, as anyone in the room. I was white as a sheet and I felt all of sudden that my body was rubber made so I fell over a chair.

(Yasu's voice)

"What are…?" Takumi asked when we saw how the doctors opened the red haired robes while the head of doctors there rubbed two plaques together letting out a flash once before putting them over her chest softly and then making her bounce once.

"They are doing electro-cardio-reanimation." I told them.

"It seems the patient has gone through a cardiorespiratory stop." One of the doctors being witnesses from the operation explained us.

"What does that mean?" Shin said.

"Basically that her heart and breathing have stopped and that she must be reanimated." A female doctor said. "This is something just happening once in the life, despite of the angst and the nerves, we are lucky to see this happen."

If they were not so pale too, we could have took that as they were having fun with all that. In fact, Ren tried to stand up and hit them but I held him down.

"They are also having a bad time." I told him. "And this is something really weird that perhaps isn't repeated on years, maybe a century."

"Don't you understand it?!" He asked me out of his mind. "She could be dieing!!"

(Shin's voice)

Suddenly, as I heard Ren's words I couldn't help standing up and I jumped over everything reaching the glass wall separating the operation theatre from the room where we were; then I began hitting it with all my strengths not breaking it.

"ISA YOU CAN'T GIVE UP!!" I shouted trying to be heard by her. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE US ALL LIKE THIS!!" I kept on while someone tried to separate me from the glass I kept on hitting with my fists on despair. "YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON FIGHTING!! YOU ARE A MOTHER NOW!! FIGHT!!"

Then I was held down by Yasu, Takumi and nearly all the male staff there.

"You can't give up!" I said crying from under the mass of bodies holding me down at the ground far from the glass. "You are a mother now… you can't give up… you can't give up…"

(Yasu's voice)

As soon as we made Shin crashed against the ground by the weight of not just me but also Takumi and most of the male staff there from Trapnest and Blast, he seemed to stop fighting against us and began repeating the same once and again while crying.

I couldn't blame him, Reira and Hachi were crying one against the other with Naoki too, Nobu and Ren seemed about collapsing with their heads buried at their hands sitting bended with their elbows against their thighs standing their faces buried at their hands. Mr. Kawano was white as a sheet and Narita seemed about crying too.

I was also about it, I was finding hard to keep on controlling myself to keep being cold mind so as to be able to deal with all that.

Isabelle, our friend Isabelle, Shin's cousin Isabelle, Nobu and Ren's girl Isabelle… that girl was apparently death now she gave birth not the heir we all expected but two heirs at the same time, both on hard conditions and with a lot of danger and efforts.

She managed to gave us all new hopes and it seemed to have taken her life.

6


	52. Chapter 57

EPISODE 57: A

**EPISODE 57: A.**

(Mrs. Nakazato's voice)

"Madam…" The second doctor in charge of the operation told me. "Madam, that lady is…"

"It's still not all lost!" I said.

"Madam… we should notify her death…" He said. "It's nothing else we can do for…"

Then we heard a lot of hitting noises against the glass wall at our right.

"ISA YOU CAN'T GIVE UP!!"

Someone was shouting at the other side of the wall while he hit the wall.

"Who the hell is doing that noise?" Someone in our room said then.

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE US ALL LIKE THIS!!"

Whoever was shouting seemed at the limit of his despair, angst and really really out of his nerves.

"Man, that guy must be out of his mind." A doctor next to me said.

"He should be injected some anaesthesia for calming him up a bit." A female nurse helping us said then.

"YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON FIGHTING!! YOU ARE A MOTHER NOW!! FIGHT!!"

That was the last we could hear and of course, there were no more hits at the glass panes.

"We can't drop it." I said.

"Doctor." The second doctor in charge said. "It's already ended. She must be death, we have had no success trying to bring her back to life… it's ended…"

I then fell silent, I couldn't stand it; that little girl born before time, the girl she had to take out when she was beginning her career as doctor… that girl whose child she had just helped being born… dead…

"Time of… dead… 7.02 am." She began saying giving up.

Pip… … pip… … pip…

Suddenly everything fell silent.

Pip… …pip… … pip… …pip…

Heart beats!!

Pip… … pip… … pip… …pip…

Yes! They were too slow but they were heartbeats!!

"Oxygen!" I shouted for the rest of the staff. "Fast, bring her those blood bags!! If there's not enough go and pick more!! Quick!!"

(Isa's voice)

It was weird, because on a second I was feeling as if I was to been cracked in two pieces and the following I suddenly was on a dark place.

Everything was silent there; silent, cold and dark. There were no more shouts encouraging me to push, no more shouts of any kind, no more pain… there was like being floating in the middle of nothing.

And suddenly I saw a white light at one end of that darkness.

I was feeling weird, it wasn't frightening me that darkness, it was as if I could no longer feel a thing, neither bad nor good.

I didn't know what to do.

I tried to move but then I couldn't.

I just curled over myself and waited.

Where was I? Was I really death?

I had heard something about that; you are on a dark tunnel and then you see the light.

Should I walk towards the light or should I just run away from it?

Suddenly I heard something filling all that silence.

I heard my name. It was all on a soft tone but I heard it perfectly.

"ISA YOU CAN'T GIVE UP!!"

Who was calling me?

"YOU CAN'T LEAVE US ALL LIKE THIS!!"

The voice rang me a bell. Who was it?

"YOU HAVE TO KEEP ON FIGHTING!!"

Fighting… I tried to move but nothing happened.

I felt as if all I felt was I didn't care.

"YOU ARE A MOTHER NOW!!"

That was right… I had a son… I needed to go and see my son…

"FIGHT!!"

I tried again, but again nothing happened; so I tried again and again until I began feeling pain again. Again I felt as if I was to be shattered in pieces.

That lasted for a long while and suddenly I felt some pressure at my hand, softly but pressure after all.

I did my best once and for all. The last effort…

(Shin's voice)

I was holding Isa's hand tight while she slept. It's been a full day since she was put in the operation theatre and after that she's been put on an ICU room (Intensive Care Unit) it was still painful to see her, connected to so many machines to keep her stable.

"Still no news?" Yasu asked coming in the room.

I shook my head while Nobu slept at the other chair.

"Those two should go their homes and rest." Yasu told me as he sat down on the armchair Ren was sitting's arm. "As you. You three are useless if you are tired here."

"I don't want to get out of here." I said. "She could wake up from a moment to another. I want to be with her."

"And she will go sad if she finds out you've been here sitting and doing nothing else than look at her without sleeping or going out to have meals."

"I'm not hungry." I said while my stomach roared. "It was not me."

"Ok, but at least go out and have some dinner." Yasu told me sighing. "Mishato must be waiting for you downstairs, she was sent to take you guys having dinner outside. Hey, you two, wake up at once." He said pushing Ren and Nobu softly to wake them up. "Wake up and go down to have dinner at once."

"Hmmmm… what's wrong now Baldy…?" Ren asked suddenly realising on something and bouncing at his seat. "Oh, my!! I fell asleep!! Is she ok? Has she waked up?"

"Ahhh!!" Nobu nearly shouted. "I fall asleep!! Shin! Has she waked up?!"

"Ouch!" Both said at once as Yasu hit their necks remembering me my cousin and her dogs.

"Just shut up." Yasu told them. "You guys go down with Shin and go have dinner. Now."

"I'm not hungry!" Nobu said rubbing his neck.

"Nor am I." Ren said.

"I said the same." I agreed.

"And I said you have Mishato downstairs waiting for you to go down and take you having dinner." Yasu told us. "So go out and have dinner, now, at once. Or I'll ask the security guard to forbid you the entrance to this area."

(Yasu's voice)

Finally I managed to make the three men leave for having dinner, I knew they would pick the first restaurant they found just for not leaving the room too much time, but I really was concerned about the need they ought to be forced out of there.

If they were not going to take care of themselves then we would have to make them do it. I sat next to our friend on the place Shin took before, then I looked at her.

She certainly seemed to have better colour today. Yet, sincerely, today was about a day since she gave birth and she spent that time in coma so she was resting deeply and so I supposed her health was being restoring little by little.

Then someone knocked on the door.

"May I come in?" Takumi asked opening it slightly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Well, I came with Hachi before, but after working a bit I thought I could come here and have some rest." He told me. "I thought I would find Ren here, such a brainless man..."

"I just made Nobu, Shin and him go out of here to have some meal." I told him. "Has your lovers found out about you latest child?"

"What are you? A worker from the 'evil lord'?!" He asked shocked and frightened.

I hit the bull's eye again. He was rejected by a lover so he came here to spend the time before going back home or his work.

"If you came for that then you can leave." I told him. "You are taking the oxygen here."

"I came to see how my blood was spent." He said. "Man… thinking that I have donated blood to save her when I can't stand her personality…" He muttered.

Then I realised on something, he had a plastic band at his forearm that meant he donated again.

"And that?" I asked him.

"This?" He asked looking at the plastic band. "Ah, just paid a little fee for getting here. You should have seen the nurse, so hot!"

For a second I thought he would have changed a bit for well, obviously I was mistaken.

"Hey, Yasu." He then told me. "Let's keep the donation thing all secret for her, right? I rather nobody knew now she has a bit of me running inside her."

"Ok, as you rather." I answered.

"So again, where did you said was Ren?" Takumi asked after some silent seconds.

"Outside, having dinner with Nobu, Shin and Mishato." I answered. "I made them do it."

"Oh, fine, fine." He nodded. "And the babies?"

"Still under observation, as the mother." I informed him. "They were born on difficult conditions of danger and about a week before they should. They are being checked several things before they can even think on bringing them to her 'maternity' bedroom."

"So they are freaks after all." Takumi said. "Pity, if they had been Ren's I would have even liked them a bit…"

That made me half smile. So after all he also liked the newborn babies.

"Anyway, we will soon know who the father is." He said looking at me. "They may take after their father a bit at least."

"She keeps on thinking she wants to be single mother." I told him.

Then we heard her breathing deep and we looked at her. Even when it was a full day since she came like that and we should be used to those little things, we were still looking at her when she did that.

"Is it possible she is having nightmares like that?" Takumi asked.

"Don't know." I said. "I've not leant much about this."

We kept on chatting calmly and softly for a while, about Hachi and their daughter and the to-come baby. We were speaking about the desire he had for it being a guy when suddenly we heard something else.

"Too much… light…" A soft voice said.

"Finally." Takumi said.

"How are you?" I asked as I pulsed the nurse-calling bottom.

"What's up?" Isa asked blinking. "I feel as if I was tied to something… and it hurts breathing…"

"You must be relaxed." I told her. "Nurses will arrive soon, they asked us to call them if you woke up again."

Then she seemed to feel pain because she did a pain face and complained.

"It hurts…" She said. "It seems as if I had… ambers down me and… I find really painful breathing or… speaking."

"Shh…" I said. "Do not speak."

"She can't stop speaking, Yasu." Takumi said.

Then she seemed to notice him and turned her face softly and slowly to look at him.

"What are you… doing here?" She asked.

"I came on a visit." Takumi said hiding is real reasons while the nurse arrived and gave the alarm voice.

(Isa's voice)

I was feeling as if I had just been beaten up, that feeling went stronger while the doctors checked me up and I didn't understood much of what they were telling me.

"It's normal." He told me when I told him. "A side effect of the anaesthesia and the coma you've just gone out."

Now he was picking up some data while Yasu and Takumi were made to wait outside. However, when the doctor opened the door it took just a couple of seconds for him to be aboard by four boisterous people.

"Boisterous people… stop bothering." I said.

It was as like a hurricane and I was surrounded by Shin, Nobu and Ren, all of them wanting to hold my hand despite of me being closer to an alien connected to what looked like a thousand machines.

Then I blinked slowly and surprised still wearing the oxygen mask and the wires connecting me to the machines.

"Can you calm up?" I asked them. "I'm already a bit dizzy without this all…"

Again they tried to speak all at the same time, stopped speaking and again the same unintelligible chat with all trying to speak at the same time.

(Yasu's voice)

"Are you feeling better now?" I asked Isa when the room was emptied again after she sent everyone back their homes to rest while I stayed there with her.

"I keep on feeling a bit weird, you know, I can still not think or remember properly, as if I was out of myself…" She confessed. "Man… this is so embarrassing…"

"It's fine; it seems you keep on being a bit affected by anaesthesia after so long."

"I was told it was due to coma." She said.

"Well, it's more likeable to be for the painkilling pills you are put so not to feel so much pain." I told her.

She then looked again straight and fell silent while I stood up and went to sit by her side and sweep her sweat softly.

"How is my son?" She asked then. "I… I asked before but… well, they said he is at the examination area, in an incubator and…"

"Don't worry." I told her. "They will be fine. It's just routine because of the birth conditions. Furthermore, the mother is really strong woman."

That made her half smile before finally falling sleep again due to the drugs she was being given in order to make her rest peacefully all the night.

She was being really brave, even if she was drugged and connected to several machines to do her natural function for her while she was sedated and recovering from giving birth to her eldest and nearly dieing, even in those moments she seemed to keep on fighting.

"It's funny." She told me when I asked her about it. "I can't remember anything but for hearing a strong voice calling me, that made me wake up again."

(Nobu's voice)

"Yasu, my turn." I said stepping in the bedroom while I took off my jacket. "Any news?"

"No, she's been peaceful all night." He told me while standing up and picking up his jacket. "The doctor will come later and do some test before waking her up."

"Ok." I nodded. "How are…?"

"Still not news." Yasu said fastening his tie after putting on the jacket again. "They are being still kept at the incubator. And they kept on doing tests on them, but…"

"But?" I asked suddenly afraid of something.

"They seem good." Yasu said.

That left me a bit more relieved.

"I can't wait for the moment I can hold them at my arms." I recognised. "The same that the moment I can hold her softly out of here."

"Right now be happy if she wakes up while you are here with her." Yasu said. "And please, remember you can't play guitar too loud."

"I'll train soft then." I said.

"No, the music helps her." He told me. "Just try not to bully the rest of people."

"Hum." I nodded.

"Have a nice day." Yasu told me. "Just try to rest a bit."

"I'll rest." I nodded. "By the way, the two demons…"

"I'll go and try to give them a lift, yes." I said.

I sat down after placing all my things at the sofa on a soft way.

"Hello." I told Isa that seemed to be sleeping a bit again. "I suppose you are so sleep because of the drugs you are given…" I sighed, it was sad to see her like that. "Ok, I've got an idea, if you don't mind… I would like to show you the last song I've made. Well, I'm… I'm still working on it… and it's not fully well."

I didn't know if she was listening to me or not; anyway, I knew she liked the music, and I needed to practise a bit.

So little by little I began playing what I was still composing and soon I heard some soft voice humming it so I stopped and looked to the owner.

"Pity, it was really great…" Isa said softly.

"It's still not ended, did you like it?" I said smiling softly so she nodded. "Sorry to have woke up." I added removing a couple of hair locks.

She shook her head softly while she blinked softly too.

"I'm sorry to always sleep this much and not been able to greet you when you arrive." She said. "Pity I'm looking so… awful, alien like and all that. I don't look any host like."

That made me nearly laugh as she smiled.

"Well, I bet nobody would mind this." I said. "Even if you are like this anyone coming here would want to buy one of those gowns when they came out here."

She then smiled and moved her hands. Lately her movements were a bit too slow, but it was due to the medication she was given.

"I am dealing about being allowed to get my own gown." She told me.

Then she looked at the guitar.

"Wanna hear a bit more?" I asked her.

She then nodded once smiling.

Since she got there, she really looked like a child. And she really got fun by hearing us playing guitar or even Reira singing soft tunes at her.

(Ren's voice)

"I've came as soon as I have been able." I told the man that was sitting next to Isa's bed while she listened to what he was telling her. "How are you today?"

"Fine." She said softly. "Horrible but fine."

"Why horrible?" I asked shocked. "Any model would kill for looking half great than you. Anyway, I like that mask the most; make you look like a sexy airplane pilot."

That made her smile a bit while the man that was with her ended putting on the jacket to leave.

"Well, miss." He said. "I'm leaving, right?"

"Aye." She said smiling. "Say hello to the people for me, please?"

"Ok, but you know your father, he will kill you for not…" He said.

"I… well, I told him." She said a bit down. "You know him…"

"Does anything happen with your father?" I asked her.

"There's been…" She said. "Things are going worse than ever."

"So he has found out about the father." The man said.

She then looked at the sheets sadly.

"Anything wrong about that?" I asked them.

"My father… well, he has a rank, a status to keep, so… his only child being mother without being married or… without knowing who the father is…"

"At least he is happy you managed to keep all this in secret." The man told her holding her hand. "Bah, you know the boss; he will end up realising you are really important for her so he will end up forgetting about this. Furthermore, two heirs for his empire. Really great for him, he will not let the chance of showing off his two heirs at his knees."

I couldn't believe it. What were they talking about? Was it true she belonged to such a family that found ashaming to bring a child, two in her case, to life on a mono-parental family? Or so proud so as to show off his own grand child as if they were pearls?

"Hey, guy." The man told me waking me up from my thoughts.

"Sorry, I was thinking." I said.

"I was telling you if you could get out a second." He told me. "Isa will stay here for a second while she is changed that bag."

I then realised there was a nurse there changing her nourishing bag and I nodded following him out.

"Take a bit care of her." He told me. "She will try to eat some chocolate she has been left at the side table but she can't so do not allow her getting it. Ah, and they said they would be doing her some test later so as to check if they can remove her the oxygen mask."

"Oh, that… that's good, yeah." I said.

"Hum… so you are that guy." He said to then smile. "Despite of what her father and brother thought and said about her marrying a lord or a gentleman, we all knew she would end up falling for a guy like you or your friends."

"Really?" I asked him. "I mean… how could you know? She is… well, she is not much like us."

"You've not met of her latest boyfriends, have you?" He said smiling. "The harem was all in the spectacle world, then the motorbike racer, the artist… but for that Renato, but he was a bit like her, plus he is face for several photo-sessions. So well, you tell me."

"Here." The nurse said handing me a chocolate bar. "She's tried to sneak it again."

"As I said… take care of her." The man said patting my shoulder. "Have a good afternoon."

"Yeah, thanks." As soon as he left I walked back in the room putting the chocolate bar at my back. "Hello, missy."

"Hi." She said smiling. "Your turn to keep an eye at me and check I don't try to drown myself with my own nourishing wire?"

"That's not fun." I said. "You would spill it all around, poor of the cleaning girls."

I knew she knew I was joking, so I kept on taking off my jacket and then I left my electric guitar away and she seemed to stare at it.

"Sorry, I can't play it here. You know bass is not allowed to be played here." I said smiling.

"Pity, I loved that music you guys made while I was being operated." She said softly.

Lately her voice was soft and weak as if she was really ill, that made Shin being like depressed al the time outside there. I felt a bit down too having to see her like that.

"When you go out I'll compose you a song, I could kill it… Tigress cubs."

"Tigress…" She muttered. "Hum, what will it be about?"

"Don't know, you say." I answered. "But I was thinking on making it look like addressed to a strong woman that gave birth to two beautiful kids on her own. All the mothers would feel identified with the main character."

"Ren… are you trying to tell my story?" She asked me.

She was certainly clever, more than what you could think of her…

"I tried to make you a present." I confessed.

"Hum." She nodded. "I supposed. I… well, it made me happy when I heard those music you played while I was… at the operation theatre…"

Did she really heard them? I thought she was ill back then too, slept due to the anaesthesia or something like that.

"I think it was Shin's idea." I recognised. "He wanted to speak to you, as the rest of us, but… well, we weren't allowed so… he thought maybe playing music would show you we were all there with you and…"

She then nodded smiling.

"I suppose those things looking as from the archaic didn't sound the best, and well, Naoki and Yasu had to play drums with chairs, tables and some metal trays there were around there."

If there was an award for the most shaggy and pitiful play, it would have been ours; famous musicians playing archaic instrument, improvised ones and on a kindergarten room of a hospital being recorded on a tape-recorder.

"Thanks you all." She said. "They made me relax a bit… And then they made me wake up again… I… well, I owe someone that was shouting to have made me bring back here."

"Someone that was shouting?" I asked confused.

"Aye, I don't know who was, but… he said I should fight, fight for my baby."

"Isa, dear." I said holding her hand. "Baby? Haven't you asked before?"

"Hum, they told me he is fine." She said smiling. "I want to see him, why don't they allow me to hold him?"

"Er… they are at the special surveillance room, but maybe they hand them back to you soon." I said trying to encourage her a bit.

"I want to see my precious son…" She said acting like a true mother for once in her life making me surprise.

"Don't worry, you will meet them soon." I said smiling warm as I held her hands to make her lower them to rest at the bed she was laying. "By the way, did they told you? You didn't had a son."

"How can it be she was a daughter?" She asked. "We saw the genitals at the pictures…"

"No, no." I said softly. "It's two son. Two instead of one."

"Two son?" She asked a bit lost.

"Aye, two." I said. "Ya-san said they took after you, but I personally see two crying and wrinkled red things when they were took off the room you were operated. So… how are you going to call them?"

"Don't know." She said. "How have the rest called them?"

"The truth is we have named them Isa's cubs." I told her softly. "Shin said they were like a panther's cubs but… well, nobody came up with a good name."

"Hum." She nodded.

8


	53. Chapter 58

**EPISODE 58: SURPRISE. FATHER MISTERY REVEALED.**

(Isa's voice)

"Ok missy." The nurse said holding my hand softly. "Ready to give some blood without biting us again?"

"I do not bite." I said.

"Yeah, but you scratch us." The other one said. "One, one and a half… three!"

"STOP IT! YOU ARE HURTING ME, YOU BLOODY BASTARDS!!" I shouted when I was sank the needle at my arm.

(Yasu's voice)

"Oh, my god!" Gimpei said when he heard Isa's sworn through the closed door while she was just trying to take some blood for a blood test. "How much strengths!"

"You should hear her when she is tried to be forced into that therapy that…" Shin said.

"Acupuncture." I said.

"Hello." Nana said smiling and waving at us as Takumi and she arrived. "Are we on time to see the babies first?"

"Nana, how are you?" I asked her.

"Fine, fine." She said.

"At least her morning disease is going better each day past." Takumi told us. "Have you already spoken to the doctors?"

"She is being returned her sons today." I said. "So finally we are going to check them; after a week and a half."

"Oh, oh." Nana said nervous. "Whom will they take after? I bet it's Nobu, but if they had Ren's face…" She said dreamily.

"Dear… you are seeing too much science fiction lately." Takumi said embarrassed.

"Ufff." The male nurse said going out of the bedroom pooled in sweat while the doctor came out with a couple of scratches. "She is stronger each day."

"You can get in and keep on with the visit now." The other one said drying the sweat from his forehead.

"You bit them again?" Shin asked her.

"They were hurting me!" She complained.

"Isa, if you were on an ordinary hospital you would have been forgot or hit long ago." I told her.

"And then they would have been suited by my lawyers." She answered kissing Nana's cheek as greetings. "How are you, Nana?"

"Good, my morning disease is going weaker day after day." She said.

(Ren's voice)

"Am I late?!" I asked getting in the bedroom without even knocking afraid of having missed the entrance of the babies and checking it was packed with people.

"No, the show has still not begun." Takumi said. "I would tell you we saved you first row seats but…"

Sure, Shin was at Isa's right and Nana was on her left taking the best seats near the hospital cranes for the newborns.

"Never mind, I'll see them when they are brought here." I said taking off the jacket and placing it at the hanger.

Certainly the room was packed with people; it seemed nobody wanted to miss the event. Shin, Nobu, Yasu, Takumi, Nana, Naoki, Reira, Gimpei, that Mishato girl… everyone was there.

"How many cameras do we have now?" Isa asked when I fidgeted with mine.

"It seems about six." Shin said.

(Isa's voice)

It was fifth time the door opened to let someone get in after fill the room when finally the doctor came in and seemed a bit surprised to see so many people in there.

"My, my, my!" She said. "And I was forbid to tell anyone about the babies!"

"How are they? Where are they?" Everyone began asking fast and speaking ones over the others but for Yasu, Takumi and I.

"Oh, my, they are worse than mosquitoes!" I muttered. "Hey! Allow the madam to speak and you will find out!"

Then everyone fell silent slowly and the doctor finally managed to speak.

"Thanks." She said. "Well, the truth is they are being taken here on about five minutes because now they are being done the last tests and… well, I would rather you guys came here following a turn because this is not a social room and those two are going to need some peace."

"But how are them?" I asked her worried. "Do they have all fingers?"

"Yes, they have both ten fingers and ten toes so they are normal and have everything at their right place. Lacking of a better word for describing them, they are simply perfect and healthy." She said. "However…"

That word was magic for us: HOWEVER. Everyone was now worried looking at her so she realised on what she just did.

"However what?" Ren asked shocked.

"However I'm afraid you are going to have a little problem with them." She said. "They've inherited the lungs from their mother so when they cry they certainly cry. Ah, and it seems they are also easily calmed with music. By the way, I would like to ask the mother for her permission to… make a further study on them."

"Hum?" I asked her. "Research? What kind of research?"

"Well, they…"

"Excuse me." A female nurse said knocking on the door. "May I…?"

"Ehem." The doctor said. "Could you please behave while the babies are placed at the cradles, please?"

"Sure." The people said.

"Can I hold them?" I asked holding out my arms to ask for it.

"Sure, but… well, I must advise you about something before… well, before you see them."

"Don't tell me you know now who the father is." Takumi said.

Suddenly everything was silent and Takumi went astonished.

"Oh, so it was so." He said.

"I should say it's the first case I've ever came across of such an estrange birth." The doctor said. "A couple of guys, on different amniotic sacs and… well, you'd better check it with your own eyes." She said when I was handed both babies to be held one with the right arm and the other with the left one.

With a lot of care they were removed the cloth at their head and when they were shown we couldn't help but to go astonished.

(Takumi's voice)

"It's… it can't be!" I said. "It's naturally impossible!!"

"Well, so did we think." The doctor said. "But I must admit this time nature jumped another rule. I've got proves that they are coming from the same mother but about the father…"

"How can it be?" Yasu asked. "One blond and the other one black haired?"

I couldn't believe it either.

"That's the prove that they have different father each." The doctor said. "Miss Isabelle is red ginger haired and so has her family been for generations but for her father which in fact had no strength for her hair colour so it is undoubtedly that the father of each baby were the same hair coloured than their babies…"

"But how could it be?" Naoki asked for first time. "Two different ones… ah!! You cheated both!!"

"OF COURSE I CHEATED NONE OF THEM!!" Isa roared angry. "It must be another explanation…"

"Well, the only explanation would be that at least one of the first boyfriend's spermatozoids remained at her utter and managed to survive until the second boyfriend's ones came in they joined. That way, there were two spermatozoids fecundating two different ovules at the same time so… well, the two babies have been born."

There was a silence and then nobody spoke. I suppose the rest were as astonished as I was.

Two different spermatozoids? Spermatozoids surviving inside her utter for so long?

Man, that was like a science fiction film.

"You are joking, aren't you?" I asked. "What you are saying is impossible."

"So I thought." The doctor said. "But…" She added looking at the babies.

(Isa's voice)

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could it be I had a baby from Nobu and another one from Ren? It was naturally impossible. Furthermore, just thinking about the reasons the doctor was giving us… I felt sick.

"Please, stop speaking about that." Shin said holding my forehead while Nana and Reira held my babies putting them at the cranes. "It's just disgusting!"

I could see I was not the only one feeling that way, Nobu was appearing to be at a shock state and same went for Ren. Both had the same discomposed face looking to the ground.

I was feeling no well now, I felt sick, nervous…

"Ok, ok. Nothing's wrong, dear." The doctor said coming to check on me. "Everything is going to be fine, you've got nothing to be embarrassed at it's."

Then I felt my mouth filled with the little things I ate before, everyone turned and Shin held my forehead helping me putting all out me.

"I think we should drop this." The doctor said. "If you all have the deference of waiting outside, please. I have to check on some of her things now."

"Sure." Yasu said. "C'mon, everyone out. You too Shin."

"If you need anything just call us." Narita offered.

They left, I would have bet on Nana wanted to stay but Takumi pulled from her.

"Isa, you know I've always be your friend, I was the one helping you be born and I've been your gynaecologist since you were old enough for having your period." The doctor told me. "I've seen you grow up, so I suppose I've earned the confidence and trust enough for being able to speak to you with freedom, haven't I?"

"Y… yes." I nodded.

"Then trust me, it's nothing ashaming on this all." She said. "You have had a couple of precious babies that will fill your life with love and happiness, you are going to grow them with no problem and I now have no doubt that your house will have more than one paternal figure to look up at and all the love they can dream about."

"And what when they grow up and realise they are not as similar as it's suppose to be from two brothers from the same father? What will I tell them then? What am I going to tell two brothers born at the same time and that don't look so similar among them?"

"Isa, calm up." She told me. "You… you could always marry."

"Who do I marry? Whose father should I marry to?" I asked. "Who of the two men should I ruin his life, hum? They have dreams; they are fighting for their dreams. I don't want to make them drop those dreams now they've gave up so many things to reach this far."

"Well… maybe you should consider on the third option." She said. "Or accept your father's offer and…"

"I don't want to do anything my father tells me!!" I shouted hitting the serum holder and throwing it to earth waking up the babies. "Shhh… sorry my little ones… sorry… sorry…"

"Did anything happen?!" Shin asked blasting through the door where everyone seemed to reappear again. "Ahhh! You are bleeding!!"

"Wait outside." The doctor said taking out a gauze and pressing it hard against where the serum via had been before and that was grubbed when the structure fell. "Could the two ladies come in, please?"

"Su… sure." Nobu said.

"Lock the door before you, please." The doctor said. "Sorry ladies, mind taking care of the two babies, please?"

"I don't want to do anything my father says about that." I hissed her.

"I just suggested you had also that option." She said. "Or maybe you could… accept the chance Renato made you."

"I want NOTHING to do with that guy." I said hissing in rage while the doctor healed the torn at my arm.

"What guy?" Reira asked me.

"Renato Verlinni." The doctor said. "Isa… think a bit more about your happiness… you don't want to marry any of the fathers, you don't want to accept marrying a tycoon child to engross your father's empire… and you don't want to marry that man."

"No." I said. "I don't want to marry someone I don't love just for economical matters as if we were still at the medieval ages and it is against my beliefs, I don't want to marry Renato because I don't want to keep on wondering where my husband would be while I'm alone in the night and what would he be doing or who… and I don't want to ruin the life of two great men that I know without doubt would do anything for giving my children and I a good life." I said. "This is my mistake so I will load this all alone, thanks."

"Who don't you want to ruin the life of?" Nana asked me astonished.

"Nobody." I said.

"No, say it clear." The doctor told me. "It's a laudable choice, so say it clear. You don't want to accept the fathers of your two sons because you are afraid they would drop their dreams to make your sons and you happy."

Then both women were astonished while I felt embarrassed.

(Narita's voice)

"I think she is loosing her mind." I told Naoki and Reira while we were driven back our homes.

"She is not crazy!" Reira said.

"Having the chance of marrying Ren that is a good man…" I said. "Well, he is not rich, but he certainly has some money saved."

"She should have chosen him." Naoki said. "So mean wanting to deny Ren his right to become a father…"

"She is not that!!" Reira said angry and worried.

"Reira, I'm sure you are a nice girl, but you can't deny she…" Narita said.

"She is afraid!" She then shouted.

The car suddenly filled with a thick silence while she covered her mouth with her hands.

"What did… you said?" I asked her.

"Nothing." She said.

"No, you said she is afraid." I said. "What about?"

"It's a secret!" She said worried and frightened.

"Reira, we are not going to tell around." Naoki told her.

"She… she said she didn't wanted Ren or Nobu to drop their dreams for her…" She told us. "She is afraid of ruining their lives…"

(Yasu's voice)

"Hello." Isa waved with her eyes closed when I walked into the room.

"Did you know it was me?" I asked her as I sat down.

"Who else would smell on such a smart perfume sexily mixed with coffee smell?" She asked smiling in fun and opening her eyes. "Came to bodyguard me?"

"I see you have got back your humour sense." I said. "How have been the two angels?"

"Fine, they cried a bit when the nurse came in to take some blood samples." She said smiling. "It seems they already took after me a bit."

"Well, let's hope not." I said. "With one like you is more than enough."

That made her smile mildly as I suppose she should have been sleeping before.

"You should rest." I told her.

"You know I can't rest much." She affirmed.

"How were you hurt your arm like that?" I asked her.

"I got over nervous when my doctor spoke me about certain things." She said softly. "I suppose you would not go shock if I tell you I've had more than 10 marriage proposals counting Ren and Nobu's ones."

"Really?" I asked her surprise on that.

"Aye, have a look at my mail." She said. "Other than our two friends, the rest come from important people, heirs, empire owners that want to engross their empire…"

"Maybe you should consider again Ren or Nobu's." I suggested her. "You know any of them have saved some money they would not minding spending it on giving a good life to their family."

"I don't need money." She said. "And I don't want them to put away their dreams for me or my child."

"Isa, be reasonable." I told her. "Two son are not cheap to bring up, not even when you earn two salaries working as singer and economisician."

"I've got some savings." She said. "And… my incomes are not just what you think…"

"Really?" I asked her. "How much incomes do you have?"

"I've… it's a secret." She said. "I've got some more incomes I keep on some safe vaults at Switzerland."

"A secret?" I asked.

"Yes, a secret." She said. "I… you will soon find out."

"Soon will find out?" I asked. "Does it have to do with a certain 'family business'?"

"That's not for reading." She said removing the envelope from my hands.

Late, I had already saw who the letter was from.

"What did you father wanted from you?" I asked her.

"It was not my father, it was my brother." She said nearly whispering and this time I doubted it was for not waking the babies up. "My father would not have been this soft…"

"And what did he want from you?" I asked her.

"He… he wanted to speak me about a friend of him." She told me.

"A friend of him?" I asked confused on why she couldn't speak me about that normally.

"Yes, he wants me to… well, to met him and…" She said.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked. "You can tell me, really."

"In the society I'm part of, the social status I have from birth… well, it's still up to day to marry for business or… economical matters."

"And he wants you to marry him." I said suddenly realising on what she meant to say.

"Hum." She nodded. "To tell you the truth… I was already engaged but… I broke the engagement when I came here… And now he says he wants me to met him but… I'm afraid what he really mean is to settle another engagement as he suggest here."

"I can't believe it…" I said.

"To tell you the truth… they were too angry at me for this." She said fidgeting with the letter. "For them it's a disgrace to have a daughter and sister that has have two kids without knowing the father and without being married…"

"And what do you plan to do?" I asked her. "Do you plan to get marry?"

"No." She said shaking her head. "I'll came up a plan before that. I'm going to do it my way, as I began it…"

She was being really brave. Really, really brave.

She would not mind to face everyone, specially her family and friends and people that used to once be her 'friends'. She would go through a hell due to her beliefs.

"Isa, I know you already know it but… I'm here for everything you need me."

"Thanks." She said smiling softly. "You are the best friends a lady can wish."

It was funny, but that made me smile too.


	54. Chapter 59

EPISODE 58: A

**EPISODE 59: SURPRISES. THE NEW CHAIRWOMAN.**

(Isa's voice)

"Ok, ready to leave?" Shin asked me holding my hand softly while I stood up from my hospital bed well dressed after the doctor told me I was ready to leave yesterday night.

"I think so." I said smiling. "And… I think you are going to have a surprise."

"Really?" He said while the door burst open.

"I still can't understand how is that door is allowed to be opened like that." I said when Nobu came in frightened.

"Isa!" He said. "You've got problems!! There's press downstairs!! Yasu is taking care of lying them!!"

"So early?" I asked a bit surprised on them finding out so fast. "I trust the crazy blond is not downstairs too."

"Well…" Nobu said embarrassed while the door opened again.

"What are you doing?" Ren said. "Naoki is about stripping to call their attention away from the door!"

"Why have they come here?" I asked him.

"Don't know, they are speaking so weird…" Nobu said.

"Ah, Reira and Nana have taken the kids to the car." Ren said. "The doctors took them through the urgency area doors."

"Good." I said smiling. "Do I look good?"

"Perfect." The three of them said.

"C'mon, we have to take you through the back doors too." Shin said.

"No." I said. "I don't intend to do such. I am going to go out by the front door, as a lady."

"And the press?" Ren said worried.

"Let's give them what they wanted." I said smiling sexily and self-confidently.

(Yasu's voice)

"Please, there's nothing you can get here." I said. "Please, leave at once, you are disturbing people in there."

"Is it true Miss Okanzaki has been here for a month?" A journalist said.

"We've heard she has gone through mental problems so she's been…" Another said.

It was a lucky I was not alone there, cause I would have hit that man for even suggesting she was crazy.

Anyway, before it could happen, I was held by Takumi, Kawano and Narita.

"Please, stop spreading such lies around." Mr. Kawano said then. "She's been here due to…"

"She's going out!!" Someone shouted.

Suddenly everything stopped and the journalists ran to get to the front doors where Isa had just appeared with Nobu, Shin and Ren by her sides.

"Please, Mrs. Okanzaki!" One shouted.

"Please, one by one." She said smiling wide and commercially. "I can't answer all at once."

"Mrs. Okanzaki, please." One said then. "It's said that lately your family managed to get control of the famous Toy-makers firm 'Pattel' and 'Boris & Clairk', is it true?"

Boris & Clairk? That should be another of their rumours trying to mess things up. How could she, being at the hospital, managed to get power of that?

"Well, I'm afraid I wanted this to be keep in secret but…" She said. "Yes, I'm not a chairman, well, chairwoman from both companies." She said as joking. "And about the rumours about why I come now out of here… I must say I was not pleased with my appearance so I came here to put myself under a treatment for my leg, I'm afraid I was not so agile and I broke my ankle so I had to do some rehabilitation now."

"I've heard you came here looking for a liposuction." Another one said.

I saw how Nobu, Ren and Shin now out of their astonishment wanted to fight the press but she stopped them.

"Well, it's true I've gone a bit out of form lately." She said with the commercial smile. "But I know too that the solution for it is sport and healthy food."

"Miss Okanzaki." Another one said.

"No more personal questions about the hospital and me, please." She said.

"Speaking about the firms you have accepted to have became chairman of, what plans do you plan to have about them?"

"Well, I plan to keep them." She said. "I'm sure I'll be able to…"

I couldn't believe it. She was dealing with all that as if she was a real businesswoman, she was even joking while she was interviewed.

Anyway…

"Sorry men." She said when the car parked at the front of the hospital. "My coach has arrived, anyway, if you wanted to ask anything else I will be more than happy to answer them officially at both firms. Thanks you."

Then she tried to walk past the mass of journalists that didn't opened until two big hairy demons came out and nearly bit them to be stopped by a single command from her.

"Nero and Lucius are the best bodyguards I will ever had." She stated. "My babes… they don't stand press around their mommy."

It was funny, but then they tried over the rest of us that just walked past them to get at the cars.

(Isa's voice)

"Isa, what's that lie about you being chairwoman?" Shin asked me.

"Just what it seems." I answered smiling. "I used to have certain number of actions in the toy firm and well… the other is just a little present from a friend."

"What?!" We all asked.

"Boris & Clairk is a world known firm with representations around the whole world." Yasu said. "I can't believe you were just given that for free."

"Well, no." I admitted. "But I still have certain friends, strong business sharks and business owners that certainly keep on loyal to me instead of my family. They gave me a hand with this… business."

"And why did you bought it?" Mr. Kawano asked me.

"I'm going to have to get extra-earnings for my kids." I said smiling ironically. "Do you think owning two big firms will do?"

(Shin's voice)

"It's something she has inherited from her father." I told the rest while the girls went to take care of the babies. "Some kids play dolls and games while others play… buying and shelling firms and empresses."

"What does it mean?" Nobu asked.

"Her first game was Monopoly, and when she was six she bought her first emprise." I told them. "I think it was a fast food firm at England."

"Wait a moment, you must be kidding." Ren said. "How could a six year girl do such?"

"With big weekly earnings and a present from her father." Shin said. "Of course, it never worked well and the earnings were a bit little. Then she sold it yet she kept on playing that game."

"Monopoly?" Naoki asked.

"No, buying firms and owning them." I told them. "When she was 7 she got a chocolate firm at Swissland; when 8 and a half I think it came the restaurant firm with restaurants all over Europe, now day it has restaurants all over the world. Then… well, the rest I think she has bought and sold them."

Now everyone was astonished; even Takumi was so surprised he seemed to have forgot he has the lighter lighted.

"Of course, this has always been secret and in all those emprises the name being shown was his father's one until she became elder enough to be legally owner for them." I kept on. "She doesn't want anyone to know about this so I'd rather you didn't told around and specially not telling her."

"What is her really?" Takumi asked. "A princess?"

"The true is I'm a yakuza, but I got tired of going around killing people and I chose to begin working as singer." Isa said appearing and with an ironic voice tone. "What were you telling around Shin?" Now she was serious and I went a bit nervous.

"I was telling them how is possible you got those business." I told her. "Have you shown them your contact agenda?"

"Ah, no." She said. "Should I?"

"I would like to, to tell you the truth." Takumi said.

"Hum." She said. "Sure, let me look for it… Here."

She had taken a little notebook that showed us.

"Isa… didn't mean the working one." I told her. "I meant the real one."

"Oh… well…" She said as trying to find a good answer. "The truth is… I don't have it here. I've… put it to day."

"Really?" I said.

"What's all this about?" Ren said.

"Oh, but I can show you part of it!" She said suddenly realising on it. "Let me look for it."

"Shin?" Yasu asked me.

"Just a second." I told him. "You have to see it."

"Here it is." She said smiling and coming back with a key. "This little tricky…" Then she stopped and turned around. "Would you mind to… turn around, please?"

"Why?" Naoki asked.

"Anything you want to hide from us?" Takumi asked standing up.

"She is going to open her safety-vault." I said smiling. "She doesn't want anyone to know where is it."

It was funny, but as soon as we all covered our eyes she gave the last three steps to get to the picture where it was placed the door and then she unlocked it by typing the password to then lay her finger at the digital plank to unlock it.

Really tough safety measurements; anyway, when I saw what it was inside the vault I knew why the whole safety thing.

She took a little trunk and then she locked the door again before turning and allowing us to look.

"What's that?" Yasu asked.

"My contact agent." She said smiling and placing the key at the keyhole to unlock it. "I've got… about 10.000 contact profiles with telephone numbers, e-mails, addresses, their job, working address and phone… And all tagged by colours by kind and group." She said showing us the trunk was full with mini-folders with different colours and letters on them, alphabetically ordered and all.

"It's bigger I remember." I said.

"Is it an agenda or the government files?" Naoki asked making her laugh.

(Yasu's voice)

"And what does it mean that red one?" Nana asked Isa while they checked on the trunk containing.

"Interesting and single men that could get married." Isa said smiling. "I've still got to update it a bit, I think this two are not longer single so…"

"And that pink files that are so thick?" Reira asked.

"Sissies." Takumi said to me while we smoked at the window. "They have to be so as to be placed at such a colour."

"Boyfriends and ex-boyfriends." Isa answered making the two girls astonished.

"But… but… there are more than…" Hachi said.

"More than 35, aye." Isa said. "The most important are on the fuccia ones."

"How many of those are there?" Shin asked then smiling.

"10." She said. "15 if you count the Bulgarian brothers one by one."

"Man… this lady is frightening…" Takumi said. "Who knows how many men has she already done up."

"Never mind." I said. "Now she has become a formal mother. She is going to be a good mother too."

"Really?" Takumi said. "She is a crazy head one… Do you really think such a lady can be a good mother?"

"Well, she has maternal sense." He said when I ran to check on the babies when she heard them crying. "She has guts, as shows her decision to bring up her children alone so as not to hurt anyone's life… and she has sacrificed her own happiness for getting them a promising future."

"Has she?" Takumi said. "Because I think all she has done was feed her ego."

"Takumi, not everyone is like you." Ren said as Isa came back with the two babies. "Ah!! The precious Itsuki!! Let me hold him, please…"

"It-what?" Isa said.

"Itsuki." Ren told her. "It means 'tree', I like short names connected to flowers."

"Itsuki sounds good." Nana said smiling.

"Itsuki… Suki!" Isa said happily. "Yeah, sounds good. But… let's ask the little one. Hello, little one… what do you think? Do you like your name Itsuki? Or you rather Hana?"

"I'm afraid your son would have problems if you call him Hana." I told her.

"Er… Hana is a female name…" Nana told her.

"Ok, so… do you like Itsuki, lil' one?" Isa asked the black haired baby lifting him up at her hands.

Then the baby began laughing.

"I think he likes the name." Nobu said smiling. "By the way, have you though how to call your other son?"

"I've still not chosen a name, but… well, I've always had an illusion about that." She said smiling and holding both babies to cradle them softly.

"So you already had a name in mind?" Nobu asked her while Ren held the black haired one at his arms rocking him softly.

"Since I was about 6 and I met the most precious boy I've ever met." She nodded smiling and letting the baby she was holding to hold her finger softly. "I thought I would call him like that despite of the English meaning of the name."

"Which is it?" Nana said.

Then Isa made her get her ear next to her mouth and whispered her a name that made Nana a bit surprised, then she did the same with Reira that was being held a finger by the same baby.

"How was such love romance?" Reira said surprised.

"He was just a little baby." Isa said smiling. "And I thought he was the most precious thing I'd ever seen. Later when we grew up a bit and I saw how his life was… well, my illusion went even stronger. I wanted that if I ever had a child, I would have loved to be that guy."

"And the name was…?" Takumi asked.

"It's a secret." She said smiling.

"I know what the name is." Naoki said smiling. "It's Naoki."

"No way!!" The girls said laughing.

"Ok, I must say the name means something against heavens and that translated into Japanese and written is like this: 向こうずね ((Here is the translation into Japanese I got from wordlingo, I hope you can see it.))"

That left everyone shocked and then I thought about it. She was English, so I suppose that was an English name. When finally I came across it, I was astonished, and then… I couldn't help but to smile.

"I think he will love the name." I said. "Yet we will never know who you are calling."

"Do you know what the name is?!" Ren asked me.

"I expected no less from the cleverest one in this room." Isa said smiling.

"What's the name?" Shin asked. "What guy was your most handsome in the world? Renato? Boris?"

"No, speaking about Boris…" Isa said. "Dear 'Flatmates', we are going to have a little visit any day from tomorrow on a week we will be getting the visit of my dear Bulgarian boyfriends and the girls."

"Weren't them Swedish?" I asked her.

"Ah, well, no." She said. "They now live there, but they were born at Bulgaria."

"And they are coming here?" Nobu asked.

"Well, in fact…" She said raising an eyebrow.

"In fact what?" Ren asked.

"Well, they are coming to met the two princes and our friends taking advantage on the fact that they are doing a modelling show here and…" She said. "Well, they…"

"They what?" Takumi said. "Do they plan to marry you or what?"

She then fell silent.

"Oh, oh." Naoki said.

"Derrick offered me to marry me if I wanted to." She said. "Of course I told him not to."

"Man!!" Reira said. "Why can't I get such offers!!"

"I don't ask to have around 10 marriage offers!!" Isa said to then realise on what she said on nervous and bitted her lips inside.

"Excuse me?" Ren said. "Oh, you mistook yourself, isn't it?" He added smiling. "You meant 2."

"No, she meant about 10." I said. "And I must say there were more important than yours ones. But she turned them down too."

"Yasu…" She advised me.

"You shouldn't get embarrassed about that." I told him. "Not everyone is so popular as you."

"I'm not embarrassed on that!" She said angry as the babies woke up again and were crying before she began speaking angrily. "I'm embarrassed on the matters they did it!! And I'm angry because you managed to woke up them!!"

She then caught the two babies and went away.

"Man, this time she is mad." Ren said.

"I'll go and check on her." Shin said standing up.

"Anyway… are you sure she got all those proposals?" Takumi asked. "Isn't it another joke?"

"No, and I must say she had many and interesting ones." I said. "Yet she is true, none was done for reasons she wanted but for convenience."

"Not mine." Nobu and Ren said fast.

Then both looked each other as they were surprised on the coordination they had saying the same at the same time.

"If she had not been pregnant you would not have asked her to marry you." I said.

"Sure, they are still young for marrying other than for paying for a mistake." Takumi muttered lighting a cig Nobu immediately smashed at his hand holding it with an angry face.

"Do not smoke in here." He said angry. "And we are elder enough for taking our own decisions."

I could see the atmosphere was beginning to go tenser and tenser for moments. So I chose to get in the middle again.

"Nobu is right, you can't smoke here, it's bad for the children." I said. "And Nobu, this tense atmosphere is bad for everyone, so both of you, please calm down and relax a bit."

"Yeah, before the two demons arrive and bite us." Ren said. "They really are like demons, luckily their mother has came back or they would end up killing us."

"They don't bite you." Nobu said then.

"No, but they walk me instead the other way round." Ren said taking out a cig and going to the window to open the window to smoke a bit.

"Hey, give me one, please." Takumi said.

"Here." Ren told him then.

"Ren, you should drop that." Nobu said. "It's bad for the babies and the mother."

"I don't care if my child is a smoker too." He said.

Suddenly we heard something really soft and everyone fell silent.

"What's that thing coming from?" Naoki asked.

It was funny, we could hear also a guitar being played softly matching the song.

"Sweet dreams, babies…" I was sung. "Blessed by muses/ Glowing like stars/ hanging where the sky starts/ peaceful oozes."

Funny she could make rhymes up her sleeve so easily and even on such hard conditions.

"I like her voice." Naoki said. "Makes me want to spread love around."

"It is relaxing." Reira said smiling. "Motherly and lovely…"

"It's a kitsch." Takumi said. "It'll be a lucky your sons don't grow up being sissies."

"At least they are going to have fathers that will give them love." Nobu said to then be hit by me.

"No fights here." I told them.

"If you want to hit anyone listen to the songs and you will end up finding inside peace." Ren added jocking.

(Shin's voice)

Finally the kids fell slept again while Isa was rocking them softly while singing them things on English. When finally she managed to let them sleeping at their cradles she looked at me.

"Thank you Shin." She said. "At this rate they will grow up loving guitars and music."

"Will that be that something wrong?" I asked her smiling.

"No, not at all." She said. "I don't plan to be like our fathers, yet they are going to spend their scholar life on the best schools in the world."

"When do you plan to tell everyone?" I then asked her.

"I don't know what are you talking about." She answered looking serious while she wrapped better the babies.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about." I assured realising on her sudden serious face. "I've seen the tickets."

"Shin, you are mistaking things." She told me. "Do not take things from grated just cause of that."

"When do you plan to tell everyone you are planning to run away again?" I asked her. "Do you think this time you are going to do it so simply? Don't you think about us?"

"Shin, it's not all that simple…" She then whispered sadly.

"Of course it is that simple!" I said.

"Shin, if you wake them up again I'll kill you." She answered me looking at me with threatening look at her eyes.

"Please, do not leave." I told her holding to her back. "Please…"

"Shin, I'm not leaving." She told me. "Those tickets were to go for a week to Ireland and London and then back here."

"Then why were just a ticket? A flight with no return?" I then asked.

"Because I don't know if I will be able to come back for the day planned or not." She told me covering my mouth softly and whispering. "I have to deal with some matters at Ireland and then I have to deal with a familiar matter at London before coming back. I can't tell anyone else because I don't know how things are going to turn, right? I don't want to allow anyone getting the wrong idea. But before… we have a couple of baptisms to celebrate."

"And what are the names for them?" I asked her.

"I want to call the black haired boy Itsuki." She said smiling. "Ren once told me he had the illusion to name his children after flowers so… well, don't know what Itsuki means but I think looks pretty cool for a guy."

"And Nobu's child?" I asked her.

"Oh, I want to name him after someone." She said smiling. "I've always dreamed about this so… I expect Nobu likes the name too."

7


End file.
